Young Clara creeps downstairs on Christmas Eve to play with her favorite present- a nutcracker doll. But a mysterious magician is waiting to sweep her off on a magical adventure. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s sumptuous, sugar-spun music makes this the most recognizable of all ballet scores, and choreographer Peter Wright’s definitive production for The Royal Ballet (after the Lev Ivanov’s original 1892 version) ranks as one of the most enduring and enchanting versions of The Nutcracker. Julia Trevelyan Oman’s designs capture the opulent Victorian setting of the opening party, as well as the fantasy world inhabited by the Sugar Plum Fairy. This is a great production to share with the family. Approximate running time is 135 minutes, including intermission.