The Australian Ballet

Season 2024 has been revealed. Explore the season.

5 Reasons you need to see The Nutcracker

Peter Wright's picture-perfect production of The Nutcracker is an enchanting highlight in any season repertoire. Here are five of the reasons why you should join Clara on her journey to magical lands.

Childlike Wonder

You don't have to be five years old, or even to have The Nutcracker hardwired into your childhood memories, to feel wide-eyed with awe and delight as the Christmas tree grows to the height of the ceiling, the walls melt away and toys come to life. Put the cares of the modern world aside for a couple of hours and reconnect with your sense of wonder.

600 x 400 TAB The Nutcracker 1605 CROP min

Benedicte Bemet and artists of The Australian Ballet. Photography Jeff Busby

600 x 400 TAB The Nutcracker 1531 min

Benedicte Bemet. Photography Jeff Busby

600 x 400 TAB The Nutcracker 1481 min

Laura Tong and artists of The Australian Ballet. Photography Jeff Busby

The Score

It's the last of Tchaikovsky's three great ballet scores, and some would argue his most charming. The story speaks through the staves: the whirling of the wind in the Waltz of the Snowflakes, the plinking of a fountain in the Sugar Plum Fairy's variation, the sensual abandonment of the Coffee variation - each are vividly evoked by Tchaikovsky's masterful use of orchestral colour.

600 x 800 Nutcracker dress reh 001 min

Laura Tong and artists of The Australian Ballet. Photography Lynette Wills

The Ultimate Traditional Version

When it comes to traditional versions of The Nutcracker, none is more perfect in each detail than this Peter Wright gem. Every element of the spell, from the Christmas party to the slightly sinister Drosselmeyer to the fight with the Rat King to the wondrous Land of Sweets, is beautifully realised in this beloved production. As London's Independent critic puts it, "its marvels are properly marvellous".

600 x 800 K Longley 144 2019 rep 0 G4 A8547 min

Robyn Hendricks. Photography Kate Longley

Delicious Costumes

John F Macfarlane's design for The Nutcracker is part Edwardian extravaganza (with fabrics and trims meticulously sourced for authenticity) and part fabulous fantasy, as befits the exotic realms of Clara's dream. The Sugar Plum Fairy's tutu is a sublime
concoction of layered pink and cream tulle, adorned with hand-painted and hand-embroidered plums.

A Feast of Pure Dance

In the second act of The Nutcracker, the story melts away and we are treated to a smorgasbord of balletic morsels: the delicate Mirlitons, the elastic langour of Arabian Coffee, the ebullient Rose Fairy, the dashing Spanish Chocolate... and, of course, the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Prince. With each variation lovingly coloured by music and costume, it's a feast for all the senses.

600 x 800 TAB The Nutcracker 1882 min

Madeleine Eastoe and Kevin Jackson. Photography Jeff Busby

600 x 800 Nutcracker dress reh 047 min

Ako Kondo. Photography Lynette Wills