Royal Ballet: The Nutcracker, Royal Opera House

A classic firmly embedded in the festive season’s imagination, this year London will be spoilt for choice with no less than three Nutcrackers on offer!

The Royal Ballet's The Nutcracker is surely one of the finest Christmas ballet tickets in London: a sumptuous affair to Tchaikovsky's luscious and much-loved score.

At a jolly family Christmas Eve party where much fun is had by children and adults alike, young Clara is given a special gift by the mysterious Dr Drosselmeyer: a nutcracker in the shape of a soldier.

In the night Clara, creeps downstairs to play with her cherished nutcracker. Having helped him and his soldiers defeat a fierce rat army led by the evil Mouse King, she sees the wooden toy turn into a handsome young man and together they go on a magical mystery tour, guided by Dr Drosselmeyer.

Cue an opportunity for many divertissements from the Dance of the Snowflakes to the Kingdom of the Sweets and much more besides, culminating in the truly delightful Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

The Nutcracker ballet story is based on Marius Petipa’s original scenario. He, in turn, based his 1892 ballet on the fairytale by ETA Hoffman.

This version, created by the former Artistic Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet, Sir Peter Wright, is one of the most respected, cleverly working what are often only picturesque scenes into a coherent tale where magical adventures mirror the relations between the Christmas Eve visitors at home.

Julia Trevelyan Oman’s set is a sumptuous treat, indulging our 19^th century nostalgia with sparkling designs suitable for Tchaikovsky’s own era. Look out for the jewel of the show, the Christmas tree that grows to giant proportions.

The Nutcracker Royal Ballet tickets will vanish, so be sure to book early.