The Nutcracker®
One snowy Christmas Eve, young Marie receives a mysterious Nutcracker doll from her godfather, Herr Drosselmeier. Little does she know, this Nutcracker is about to lead her on an extraordinary adventure she’ll never forget.
At the stroke of midnight, Marie’s Nutcracker springs to life as a young prince and Marie’s living room is transformed into a magical world–the Land of Sweets–inhabited by the enchanting Sugar Plum Fairy and her loyal subjects. But beware, there’s danger lurking in the kingdom as the Mouse King clashes with the Nutcracker Prince and his toy army!
Follow Marie on her journey through this fantastical realm as her one-of-a-kind Nutcracker Prince sets into motion a series of events that will transport you to a world filled with dancing snowflakes, dazzling costumes, epic mouse battles, and breathtaking choreography.
George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® is more than a performance; it’s a celebration of beauty and magic that will fill your soul with the spirit of the holiday season. Share this unforgettable experience with your loved ones and create cherished memories that will last a lifetime.
Recommended for ages 4 and older.
Performances By Date
▲ School Matinee Performance
◆ Sensory Friendly Performance
The Nutcracker is an add-on to subscriptions.
We strongly urge patrons to purchase tickets directly through our website to avoid the risks of tickets sold by fraudulent second-party vendors. When you purchase a ticket through us, you are directly supporting Philadelphia Ballet and ensuring you receive the best tickets at the best price. We look forward to seeing you in the theater!
It is difficult to overstate the depth and breadth of the artistry and influence of choreographer, George Balanchine. Called the ‘Father of American Ballet,’ he combined a reverence for the classical training he received as a boy in St. Petersburg with ferocious originality and commitment to modernism. He and his many brilliant collaborators, including Sergei Diaghilev, Igor Stravinsky, Georges Rouault, and Karinska, among many, many others, transformed ballet into a 20th century artform. Balanchine’s influence as a teacher is every bit as paradigm-changing as the repertoire he created. When our own founder, Barbara Weisberger (herself a protégée of Balanchine) conceived of Philadelphia Ballet, Balanchine insisted, “But first, a school.”
The music of Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky constitutes one of the pillars of the orchestral repertoire and the very foundation of classical ballet. Tchaikovsky’s unforgettable melodies, inventive harmonies, and ground-breaking orchestrations make his music both loveable and eternal. Ballet audiences are fortunate to hear not only the works he intended for dance, such as Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, but also a wide variety of orchestral pieces that have been choreographed by great dance-makers, such as George Balanchine.
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