Tickets $18 and $10 (children 12 and under) – Approximately 2 hours 20 minutes, including one intermission.
•••••TICKETS ON SALE WED OCT 21, 2026 AT 9AM EDT•••••
Celebrate the magic of Christmas with The Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker, returning to cinemas for the 2026 holiday season in a performance captured at London’s Royal Opera House in December 2025. Peter Wright’s beloved production transports audiences from a festive Christmas Eve party to a world of dancing snowflakes, enchanted toys and the glittering Land of Sweets. Tchaikovsky’s glorious music and Julia Trevelyan Oman’s sumptuous period designs bring this timeless adventure to life. The cast features Mayara Magri as the Sugar Plum Fairy, Reece Clarke as the Prince, Marianna Tsembenhoi as Clara, Taisuke Nakao as Hans-Peter/The Nutcracker, and James Hay as Drosselmeyer, with Charlotte Politi conducting the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House.
A cherished Christmas tradition since its Royal Ballet premiere in 1984, Wright’s production continues to enchant audiences on stage and screen. Reviewing the 2025 stage revival, Zoe Anderson of The Independent called it “a sparkling and much-loved Christmas treat,” praising its majestic transformation scene and the company’s warmth and polish. Reviewing the December 2025 cinema broadcast, ballet writer Amy Growcott praised Tsembenhoi’s Clara as “danced and performed beautifully” and Hay as “a wonderful Drosselmeyer,” while applauding the spectacular growing Christmas tree and scenery transformations. From the delicate Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy to the swirling Waltz of the Flowers, this cinema presentation offers a festive escape for ballet lovers and newcomers alike.
