The Nutcracker – Moscow City Ballet

With December and frosts coming, ‘Nutcracker’ is as warming and welcome as mulled wine and mufflers. This luxe production only just fits on the Theatre Royal’s stage but that adds to the intimacy. We could see the dancers’ anxious looks and grins of relief as they deftly vaulted, span and passed safely by. The principals certainly lacked space but still gave thrilling energy to the show-stopping numbers. The tiny live orchestra was too loudly amplified. They are all virtuoso performers, so individual while warming up beforehand, and would have sounded so much better ‘au natural’, but they did Tchaikovsky proud.

Theatre Royal Brighton, 29 November 2012

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