The Australian Ballet

The Nutcracker

The enchanting Christmas tale

View performance times
  • Sydney / Warrang

    30 November - 18 December 2024

  • Duration

    2 hours and 10 minutes including one 20 minute interval (subject to change)

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Ballet dancer Marcus Morelli dressed in red costume leaps in the air, pressing his hips out as he holds his hand to his head saluting.

Marcus Morelli
Photo Simon Eeles

Ballet dancer Ako Kondo dressed in white costume and tutu stands on one leg en pointe, gracefully extending her other leg behind her in attitude.

Ako Kondo
Photo Simon Eeles

Sir Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker is a magical production of the beloved festive ballet that remains faithful to the 19th-century original and will fill you with the Christmas spirit. Tchaikovsky’s last ballet score, with its famous motifs and melodies, draws us into the story of Clara, a young ballet student celebrating with her family on Christmas Eve. When the clock strikes twelve, we enter the dream realm, where Clara’s Nutcracker doll comes to life, taking her on a thrilling adventure where she encounters the Rat King before being whisked away to the Land of Sweets and into the arms of her Nutcracker Prince.

Veteran designer John F. Macfarlane exquisitely evokes the world of this picture-perfect ballet: whirling snowflakes, crackling fires, band-box soldiers, a Christmas tree that grows until it brushes the ceiling and a Sugar Plum Fairy in luscious candy-floss pink.

With the holidays around the corner, there’s no better way than The Nutcracker to rediscover the childlike joys of the season, or to create your own family tradition.

David Hallberg's insight

The Nutcracker epitomises the absolute beauty of classical ballet. The score is so deeply rich and full of magic and beauty. It truly takes the dancer and audiences on a trip through the mystery and magic of Clara’s Christmas Eve dream. Personally, the grand pas de deux in The Nutcracker was always a favourite of mine to dance.”

Ballet dancer Grace Carroll dressed in elegant white dress stand in front of Marcus Morelli, extending their arms gracefully in arabeqsue.

Grace Carroll and Marcus Morelli
Photo Simon Eeles

Ballet dancer Grace Carroll stands extended on one leg en pointe, dressed in elegantly flowing white dress with her arms held behind her.

Grace Carroll
Photo Simon Eeles

Australian Ballet artist Benedicte Bemet dressed in white dress on stage extends her arm to reach out to a large Christmas tree.

Benedicte Bemet
Photo Kate Longley

Australian Ballet dancer Benedicte Bemet holds a bouquet of flowers to her chest, a group of other dancers in pink lay on the ground extended.

Benedicte Bemet, Artists of The Australian Ballet
Photo Jeff Busby

Australian ballet dancers Adam Bull and Benedicte Bemet leap across stage in unison against a dark blue broody background.

Adam Bull, Benedicte Bemet
Photo Jeff Busby

The Mouse King and The Nutcracker battle on stage with swords, several Australian Ballet artists litter the dark stage in support.

Artists of The Australian Ballet
Photo Jeff Busby

Three dancers of The Australian Ballet stand apart, dressed in dark red and black costumes on stage.

Jake Mangakahia, Dimity Azoury, Brodie James
Photo Lynette Wills

Production credits

Choreography Peter Wright, Lev Ivanov, Vincent Redmon
Additional choreography courtesy of
Birmingham Royal Ballet
Music Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Costume and set design John F. Macfarlane
Lighting design David Finn
Guest Repetiteur
Mark Kay
With The Australian Girls Choir


The 2024 season of The Nutcracker is generously supported by The K Christiensen & A Bond Bequest, The Melba Cromack Fund and The Margaret Ellen Pidgeon Fund.

Music

Sydney
With Opera Australia Orchestra

We thank our production partner

Season 2024

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Ballet dancer Ako Kondo dressed as Clara in elegant bright costume and tiara, looks up towards the camera.

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