Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker – A Ballet by John Neumeier (Hamburg State Opera, December 2025, Choreography: Neumeier)

John Neumeier's "The Nutcracker" tells of first love and the discovery of dance. For her twelfth birthday, Marie receives a nutcracker and a pair of pointe shoes. In a dream, the ballet master Drosselmeier leads her behind the scenes of the theater, where she herself becomes a dancer. With Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's music, Neumeier simultaneously creates a tribute to Marius Petipa and the tradition of classical ballet. The set and costumes are by Jürgen Rose. In the performance recorded in December 2025 at the Hamburg State Opera, the Hamburg Ballet, Olivia Betteridge dances the Marie, Alessandro Frola the Drosselmeier. Ida Praetorius is seen as Marie's sister Louise, Alexandr Trusch as Günther and Louis Musin as Fritz. The Hamburg State Philharmonic Orchestra plays under Simon Hewett. The recording will be released on DVD and Blu-ray.