Der Nussknacker (The Nutcracker) is a two-act classical ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, first performed on 18 December 1892 at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. The libretto, based on E.T.A. Hoffmann's fairy tale via Alexandre Dumas's lighter retelling, was devised by Marius Petipa, with choreography realized by his assistant Lev Ivanov. Despite a cool reception at its premiere - Tchaikovsky himself called it dull - it has since become the most frequently performed ballet in the world, a fixture of the Christmas season on every continent.
Tickets for the Bolshoi Theatre's December 2025 Nutcracker run sold out within two hours of going on sale, prompting the theatre to introduce an auction system and named e-tickets to combat scalpers.
According to Dance/USA data reported in December 2025, US Nutcracker ticket revenue for large ballet companies rose from $57M to over $84M between 2022 and 2024, with attendance up 18%.
The Grand Classic Ballet toured The Nutcracker across dozens of German cities from January 2026, including Oberhausen, Munich, Stuttgart, Bochum, Magdeburg, Berlin and Bonn.
The Leipziger Ballett is scheduled to perform Der Nussknacker at the Leipzig Opernhaus on 3 and 4 December 2026.
The Hamburg Staatsoper staged John Neumeier's Nutcracker production across six performances in December 2025 and January 2026, with family introductions scheduled for late December 2026.
Tchaikovsky's beloved ballet performed with live orchestra at the Admiralspalast in Berlin.
Tchaikovsky's beloved ballet performed with live orchestra in Mannheim.
A traditional ballet staging of the classic work in Essen.
"The Nutcracker" ballet performed to live music at Munich's Löwenbräukeller - a Christmas fairy tale for the whole family.
A classic ballet performance of The Nutcracker with live orchestra in Frankfurt.
The classic ballet "The Nutcracker" performed by Grand Classic Ballet. A traditional winter tour featuring world-class dancers.
Tchaikovsky's classic ballet about a girl who enters a magical world on Christmas Eve. A performance full of magic, music, and dance for the whole family.
Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" performed at the Semperoper in Dresden - a timeless ballet classic in a grand setting.
The classic ballet "The Nutcracker" performed by Grand Classic Ballet. A festive production for the whole family.
The classic ballet "The Nutcracker" takes the stage at Staatstheater Oldenburg.
Crown Ballet performs the beloved classic "The Nutcracker" at Stadthalle Cottbus - a festive evening of Tchaikovsky's music and classical dance.
A traditional Christmas ballet performance from the Grand Classic Ballet series at Operettenhaus Hamburg.
A classic ballet production of "The Nutcracker" performed by an international ballet ensemble and festival orchestra.
"The Nutcracker" ballet with live music - a classic Christmas fairy tale on stage at Classic Remise in Düsseldorf.
A festive staging of The Nutcracker at Classic Remise in Düsseldorf, bringing the beloved Christmas classic to the stage on a winter evening.
The classic ballet "The Nutcracker" performed by the Bonn Opera House ensemble.
Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" performed by the Saarländisches Staatstheater at the Großes Haus in Saarbrücken - a festive ballet classic for the Christmas season.
Tchaikovsky's classic ballet "The Nutcracker" performed at Stage Theater im Hafen Hamburg.
A classic ballet production of "The Nutcracker" by Grand Classic Ballet. Perfect family entertainment for the winter holiday season.
The classic ballet "The Nutcracker" performed by the Hamburg State Opera ensemble.
The classic Christmas fairy tale of The Nutcracker performed as a ballet spectacular.
The classic Christmas story of The Nutcracker performed as a ballet, perfect for children and families.
The classic ballet "The Nutcracker" performed by Grand Classic Ballet. A traditional winter tour featuring professional dancers.
The classic Christmas ballet tale of The Nutcracker performed by young dancers.
The classic "Nutcracker" ballet in a festive Christmas staging - a family-friendly performance at Stadthalle Mülheim in Mülheim an der Ruhr.
The traditional Nutcracker ballet with orchestra performed by a professional ballet company.
A classic ballet production of "The Nutcracker" performed by an international ballet ensemble and festival orchestra.
The timeless ballet classic The Nutcracker performed with live orchestral accompaniment. Perfect for the whole family.
A festive ballet gala in Düsseldorf pairing "The Nutcracker" with "Swan Lake" - two timeless classics performed on one stage to close out the year.
A traditional ballet performance of The Nutcracker by Grand Classic Ballet.
The classic ballet "The Nutcracker" performed with a live orchestra – a festive New Year's Eve event at the RheinMain CongressCenter in Wiesbaden.
A classic ballet performance of "The Nutcracker" presented by the International Festival Ballet & Festival Orchestra.
The classic ballet "The Nutcracker" performed by Grand Classic Ballet. A traditional winter tour featuring professional dancers.
Royal Classical Ballet performs Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" at the CCH - Congress Center Hamburg in Hamburg.
A classic ballet production of "The Nutcracker" performed by an international ballet ensemble and festival orchestra.
Grand Classic Ballet brings Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" to the Kaisersaal in Erfurt as part of its beloved annual winter tour - an evening of timeless classical dance.
Tchaikovsky's timeless masterpiece performed as a ballet with live orchestra in Hannover.
A classic ballet performance of The Nutcracker with live orchestra. A magical story for the whole family.
A classic ballet performance of The Nutcracker with live orchestra at Westfalenhalle.