Experience the magic of New York City Ballet’s iconic holiday classic, George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®, based on the Alexandre Dumas version of E.T.A Hoffmann’s “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” (1816). In Act I, Tchaikovsky’s beloved melodies transport the young and the young at heart to a wondrous world where mischievous mice besiege a battle of toy soldiers, and an onstage blizzard of snowflakes leads to the enchanted Land of Sweets in Act II. Balanchine’s stunning choreography shines amidst awe-inspiring set pieces, ornate costumes, and grand one-of-a-kind visual effects, like the one-ton Christmas tree that grows to an astonishing 40 feet on stage. Recorded live during New York City Ballet’s 2011 season at Lincoln Center, the production features NYCB Principal dancers Megan Fairchild as the Sugarplum Fairy, Joaquin De Luz as Cavalier, Ashley Bouder as Dewdrop, Daniel Ulbricht as Candy Cane and more than 60 children from the School of American Ballet, the official school of NYCB.

Composer: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Choreography: George Balanchine
Venue: New York State Theater Lincoln Center
Company: New York City Ballet
Cast/Soloist: Megan Fairchild, Joaquin De Luz, Ashley Bouder, Daniel Ulbricht, New York City Ballet
Genre: Dance