George Balanchine's The Nutcracker

It is not really Christmas until the whole family has been to the Royal Danish Theatre and experienced the Christmas ballet above all others. Christmas trees shaped from ballet shoes out in the foyer. Tchaikovsky's iconic music. And lots of child dancers on stage. It is almost impossible not to get into the Christmas spirit when The Nutcracker takes over Gamle Scene. It naturally does so again at the end of 2026, when the many familiar melodies combined with elegant steps make both young and old Christmas hearts beat in time in the winter cold. The Nutcracker is a true family show. It is not only a cheerful ballet for children, but also a chance for their parents and grandparents to dream themselves back to the carefree wonder of childhood. In George Balanchine's masterly 1954 version the magic is turned all the way up, and he has created an imaginative story which is also the perfect kick-off to the cosiest celebration of the year. The story spans a single night. But not just any night. Little Marie receives the most fantastic nutcracker as a Christmas gift from her godfather, and when the clock strikes midnight, it leads her out on a magical journey. She travels from the festive Christmas party in the bosom of the family to the fairytale land of plenty, and on her way she meets dangerous mice, dancing snowflakes and waltzing flowers, sweet polka sticks and a majestic Sugar Plum Fairy. Just to name a few. The strange fairy tale of the enigmatic nutcracker was originally written by the eccentric German author E.T.A. Hoffmann in 1816. In 1892 it was first made into a ballet. Tchaikovsky composed the music, which, with its many recognisable, catchy themes, is one of the most beloved works in music history. The Nutcracker is also touring to Musikhuset Aarhus. Read more here. Recommended from age 6

• Dirigent: Chanmin Chung

RECORDINGS OF THE WORKS

Pjotr Tsjajkovskij: Nøtteknekkeren, op. 71

Whole work

Watch on NRK TV (2001)All 2 parts on KulturbaseMore recordings on Kulturbase

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