Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker is a show for the festive Christmas season. The magical story of the Mouse King and Clara’s adventures in the Land of Sweets never fail to enchant young audiences. A treat for all ballet lovers, it offers a magical adventure for all the family.

The Nutcracker, with a score by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893) and libretto adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann’s short story, is one of the most popular ballets of all time. The reasons for its enduring popularity are the imaginative story, brilliant score and exquisite choreography. There have been countless reworkings and interpretations of The Nutcracker. The Croatian National Theatre Rijeka’s production has been re-created by talented Italian choreographer Mauro de Candia. His choreography is set in the present day, which further boosts the work’s appeal to the young audiences. De Candia’s re-working offers a fresh and modernised take on choreography, set and costume design, while keeping true to the spirit of this festive ballet classic. 

The dancers move effortlessly between the classical and contemporary dance techniques, equally at home en pointe and their legs a terre. No dance step is performed solely on account of spectacularity, although the stagecraft is felt throughout, all ballet movements have been designed with the sole purpose of genuinely interpreting the characters and the story, while providing a feast for the eyes.