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You are here: Home / Events / The Nutcracker – Royal Ballet at The Royal Opera House – 2021 – Review

The Nutcracker – Royal Ballet at The Royal Opera House – 2021 – Review

November 23, 2021 by Fiona Maclean 2 Comments

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Last Updated on December 23, 2021

Christmas must be here – the first Nutcracker has appeared!

*Stop Press – Performances cancelled until 5 January 2022*

The Nutcracker has become an annual Christmas ritual for me.  Last year I was lucky enough to catch the COVID safe restaging at the Royal Opera House – I believe the Royal Ballet only managed four performances before another lockdown meant that the Royal Opera House closed prematurely for the rest of the season.  This year, they are back with a full staging and the first night on 23rd November is also part of a week of celebrations to commemorate Peter Wright’s 95th Birthday on 25th November. Tonight’s performance included Gary Avis as Herr Drosselmeyer, sprinkling gold dust everywhere and leading his Clara (Anna Rose O’Sullivan) with Joseph Sissens replacing James Hay as The Nutcracker, a little cautiously at first but with increasing confidence as the night went on.

A scene from The Nutcracker by The Royal Ballet

The Sugar Plum Fairy in the form of Marianela Nuñez was poised and graceful while her Prince (Vadim Muntagirov) was deliciously light on his feet in his solos and a stunning partner in the pas de deux.

Vadim Muntagirov and Marianela Nunez in The Nutcracker

It is the start of Christmas isn’t it?   What other show has a magic growing Christmas tree, dancing snowflakes, Harlequin and Columbine and Arabian, Chines and Russian Dancers all on stage in one night? Not to mention toy soldiers and dancing rats.  The Nutcracker has so many set dances which thrill in their own right and so many fairy story moments including Clara defeating the Rat King with the heel of her shoe.  And, underneath it all, a love story based on ‘The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E. T. A. Hoffmann.  The Nutcracker turns out to be Herr Drosselmeyer’s Nephew who is saved from a curse that turned him to wood.  That of course, happens because of Clara’s love for him.  

Anna Rose O Sullivan and Gary Avis in The Nutcracker

This work was created for the Royal Ballet by Peter Wright in 1984 and includes much-loved elements like the magical growing Christmas tree, the beautiful and enchanting dance of the snowflakes and more.

Artists of The Royal Ballet in The Nutcracker, The Royal Ballet © 2020 ROH. Photograph by Rachel Hollings

It’s a score by Tchaikovsky that many of us will be very familiar with and the production by The Royal Ballet is a real classic.  This year the production features Will Tuckett’s battle scene, which we saw premiered in 2020 and was specially created to reduce the number of children on stage during the pandemic.  Although some of the children are back for the opening party grownups still replace them in the fight between the mice and the toy soldiers.  Throughout, despite the evolution of the choreography from Peter Wright’s initial staging, the ballet remains true to the spirit of the Russian ballet classic and a great showcase for the Company

'The Nutcracker' Ballet performed by the Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House, London,UK

Later audiences will see debut performances from Principal dancers Mayara Magri (21 December) and Anna Rose O’Sullivan (24 December) as The Sugar Plum Fairy, with Cesar Corrales (6 December) and Marcelino Sambé (24 December) as The Prince. Natalia Osipova and Reece Clarke who stunned on the opening night of Giselle take on the role of Sugar Plum Fairy and Prince.  And, throughout the season students from The Royal Ballet Upper School perform alongside the Company.  This is a production where everyone changes roles from day to day and it’s easy to want to come back and see another cast!

Tierney Heap and Gary Avis as Drosselmeyer in The Nutcracker, The Royal Ballet © 2017 ROH. Photographed by Karolina Kuras

On 9 December, audiences around the world will be able to experience The Nutcracker in a live cinema relay – featuring performances from Akane Takada and Cesar Corrales. Encore screenings will follow in cinemas across the globe on 12 December.  

Vadim Muntagirov and Marianela Nuñez in The Nutcracker, The Royal Ballet © 2020 ROH. Photograph by Rachel Hollings.

The 2021 performance schedule also includes dedicated performances for those who have not experienced ballet or opera at the Royal Opera House before. This year, The Royal Opera House is showing their thanks for the incredible work done by NHS staff through the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond by welcoming key workers to the building for the 2021 Paul Hamlyn Christmas Treat: a morning of interactive workshops and creative activities, followed by a gala performance of The Nutcracker.  

THE NUTCRACKER 

23 November 2021 – 8 January 2022 

Live Cinema Broadcast 9 December; Encore Cinema Broadcast 12 December 

23, 29 November at 7:30pm 
25 November at 2pm and 7:30pm  
4 December at 7pm 
6, 7, 9, 10, 13, 16, 21, 23, 29, 30 December at 7:30pm 
10, 21 December at 2pm 
18 December at 1:30pm and 7pm 
22, 24 December at 12:30pm 
31 December at 4pm 
3 January at 1:30pm and 7pm 
5, 6, 7 January at 7:30 PM 
8 January at 1pm and 6:30pm 

Tickets £7 – £135 

Booking – www.roh.org.uk  

Royal Opera House
Bow Street, London, WC2E 9DD

 

Looking for something different?  We also recommend Tosca, showing at the Royal Opera House until February 2022.  Check our review of Tosca

Filed Under: Dance, Events Tagged With: Royal Ballet

About Fiona Maclean

London based freelance writer and marketing consultant. I edit London-Unattached.com and write for a number of other publications. With a music degree and a background in marketing across many sectors, my passions include all types of music, food, restaurants, wine and travel

Comments

  1. Galina V says

    November 30, 2021 at 9:00 am

    How wonderful! One of my favourite ballets, loved it as a child, and still do. Whenever I hear The dance of the sugar plum fairy on Classic FM, I dance in my kitchen.

    Reply
    • Fiona Maclean says

      December 9, 2021 at 9:37 am

      shhhh, I do too – I think it’s obligatory!!!!

      Reply

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