The Nutcracker is a two-act ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Op. 71), first performed on 18 December 1892 at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, with choreography by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov. The libretto draws on E. T. A. Hoffmann's fairy tale "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" via Alexandre Dumas's French adaptation, following young Clara through a Christmas Eve battle with the Mouse King and a journey to the Land of Sweets. Slow to win over audiences at its premiere, the ballet became a global phenomenon after George Balanchine's landmark 1954 New York staging, and today it is staged by hundreds of companies worldwide every winter season.
According to Dance/USA data reported in December 2025, US Nutcracker ticket revenue for large ballet companies rose from just over $57 million to well over $84 million between 2022 and 2024, with attendance up 18%.
The Ukrainian Classical Ballet toured The Nutcracker across more than 50 performances in Germany, Austria, Poland, Italy, Switzerland, Czech Republic and other European countries in the 2025-2026 season.
Grand Classic Ballet launched a German Nutcracker tour running from 20 November 2025 to 23 January 2026, covering cities from Oberhausen and Munich to Berlin, Bonn and Würzburg.
The Samara Opera and Ballet Theatre's historically reconstructed Nutcracker production drew around 2,000 spectators during a guest run in Bangkok, as reported by RIA Novosti and TASS.
English National Ballet's new Nutcracker, choreographed by Artistic Director Aaron S. Watkin and Olivier Award-winner Arielle Smith, returned following sell-out performances in 2024.
Tchaikovsky's classic ballet performed by the Italian Classical Ballet of Naples. The production blends tradition with contemporary vision, offering a fresh take on this timeless Christmas tale.
Tchaikovsky's classical ballet performed by the Italian Classical Ballet of Naples - a New Year production blending tradition with contemporary vision.
Tchaikovsky's legendary ballet performed by the Italian Classical Ballet of Naples. A New Year premiere blending classical tradition with contemporary vision in Düsseldorf.