The Nutcracker – A ballet by John Neumeier

A Nutcracker that celebrates ballet itself. In his version, Neumeier quotes well-known choreographies by Marius Petipa, with stage design by Jürgen Rose.

John Neumeier's The Nutcracker invites you to dream. The ballet tells the story of 12-year-old Marie, who receives a nutcracker and a pair of shiny pink pointe shoes for her birthday. Now nothing stands in the way of her wish to dance as beautifully as her sister Louise. In her dream, the eccentric ballet master Drosselmeier appears and gently introduces her to the mysterious world of theatre. Marie watches a rehearsal at the court theatre, experiences a performance with a variety of colourful dances and learns to dance herself. In the course of the play, the childlike Marie not only discovers the world of theatre for herself, but also falls in love for the first time and matures into a young woman.

John Neumeier's unique version of this classic is a coming-of-age story and at the same time a tribute to the legendary ballet master and choreographer Marius Petipa, who brought classical ballet to perfection in the 19th century. The performance Marie experiences in John Neumeier's adaptation is a celebration of classical ballet, quoting well-known choreographies by Marius Petipa. Peter Tchaikovsky‘s world-famous music, such as the Waltz of the Flowers or the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, awakens childhood memories. A ballet classic for the whole family, presented in colourful costumes and an opulent stage design by Jürgen Rose.

Genre Ballet
Original title The Nutcracker
Choreography by John Neumeier
Composer Peter Tschaikowsky
Sets Jürgen Rose
Dance Company Hamburg Ballet
Recording location Hamburgische Staatsoper
Production year 2026
Duration 120 mins
Production Company Bel Air Media, NHK, ZDF, ARTE