****
Royal Opera House
Tchaikovsky's 1892 ballet is always a game of two halves, and this revival is no different.
Act I is all about plot and props: Fritz trying to grab the nutcracker from Clara (a convincingly elfin Iohna Loots), a mechanical growing Christmas tree and dolls' house and, of course, the mouse battle.
It's good, but greatness comes after the interval, when we dispense with any plot and concentrate on the hits: Koen Kessels, in his debut conducting role for the Opera House, really makes the orchestra sing; and the Arabian Dance featuring Cindy Jourdain and grand pas de deux of the Sugar Plum Fairy and Prince (Miyako Yoshida and Federico Bonelli) are a masterclass.
Traditional ballet with jingle bells on.
Ben Wardle
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