A magician with secrets, an enchanted gift, a guiding angel and a journey to the Kingdom of Sweets. The seasonal favourite The Nutcracker draws on all the imagination and fantasy of E.T.A. Hoffmann's story of Christmas Eve, when young Clara creeps downstairs for one of her presents, but finds herself instead at the start of a night of magical adventures.

The designs for this now-classic Royal Ballet production re-create a 19thcentury image of Christmas, including the decorated tree that magically grows and the toy soldiers that come to life to fight the Mouse King. The beautifully coloured imaginings of the fantasy Sugar Garden and its celebratory dances make a fabulous contrast ? the Sugar Plum Fairy is just one of the delights you will discover here ? and Peter Wright?s production tells the story clearly from its mysterious start to its happy conclusion.

Tchaikovsky?s music is some of the most instantly memorable in all ballet, with a wealth of famous melodies, conducted here by Barry Wordsworth, Music Director of The Royal Ballet, and Dominic Grier. The Nutcracker is classical ballet at its most approachable and visually entrancing, with something for everyone to enjoy, from the youngest in the family to the oldest ? a Christmas present that brings a special magic each year it returns.