The Nutcracker has been an important part of Christmas in our city since the Birmingham Royal Ballet (BRB) first arrived in 1990. Last year, Sir Peter Wright’s glorious production was fully refurbished and it’s now ready for the next 30 years of performance.
For 2023, theatre lovers will be able to attend a performance of The Nutcracker at Birmingham Hippodrome from Friday, November 17, to Saturday, December 9. And to help celebrate its success, BRB is giving away free tickets to a family of four so they can see the show in person and experience the magic for themselves.
A timeless Christmas classic
The Nutcracker opens on Christmas Eve at the house of town major Hans Stahlbaum and his wife. The Stahlbaums are getting ready to host their Christmas party – a grand affair for family and friends, with food, drink and magical entertainment to delight young and old. There will be dancing, presents, and the most beautiful of Christmas trees too.
But once the guests have gone and everyone is reluctantly in bed, Clara tiptoes downstairs to find her Nutcracker doll and mysterious things start to happen. King Rat enters with a roar of flame and a flash of smoke to do battle with the Nutcracker doll and his band of toy soldiers, and Clara sets out on a journey through the swirling, whirling land of snow.
Tchaikovsky’s glorious score, played by the 60-strong orchestra of the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, provides an enchanting soundtrack to this Christmas masterpiece. And at its forefront are the company’s world-class dancers taking on the iconic roles of Clara, Drosselmeyer, the Nutcracker Prince and of course the Sugar Plum Fairy.
With 28 performances, there are opportunities for many of the BRB's members to take on leading roles. And as always, this year will see a number of dancers debuting in roles, alongside many favourites reprising roles they’ve made their own over the years.
There will be plenty to delight in during the production, whether audience members are yearning for a hint of nostalgia and remembering past pleasures, or looking to start a whole new tradition for their family or friends. Locals are encouraged not to miss their chance to start Christmas in style with this perfect festive treat of a show.
How to enter
BRB's competition for a family of four to win tickets for The Nutcracker live in 2023 is open now. All entrants need to do is visit the website, answer one easy question and enter their contact details.
Entries will close at 11pm on Sunday, November 19, 2023. The competition promotion is marketed and administered by Birmingham Royal Ballet, full terms and conditions can be found online.
To book tickets to The Nutcracker at Birmingham Hippodrome from Friday, November 17, 2023, to Saturday, December 9, 2023, visit the website.
