The Nutcracker – Dance of the Mirlitons (Francesca Hayward, The Royal Ballet)

Principal of The Royal Ballet and star of the Cats movie Francesca Hayward as Clara in The Nutcracker. Subscribe to our channel and find out more at Feauturing Meaghan Grace Hinkis, Emma Maguire, Mayara Magri and Leticia Stock and Gary Avis as Herr Drosselmeyer in the Dance of the Mirlitons, also known as the Dance of the Reed Flutes, The Nutcracker is a Christmas treat for the whole family and a classic with a special place in the hearts of ballet fans around the world. Recorded in 2016, this special performance celebrated Peter Wright’s 90th birthday, and will be broadcast on 17 December 2019 with new features. Additional screenings in selected cinemas throughout December. Peter Wright’s interpretation of The Nutcracker has been enchanting children and adults alike since its first performance by The Royal Ballet in 1984. Lev Ivanov’s 1892 ballet combined with Tchaikovsky’s sumptuous, iconic score are presented in a festive period setting with vivid designs to make this a charming and magical production. Loosely based on the story by . Hoffmann, the ballet begins in the 19th-century German home of the Stahlbaums, where they are hosting a lively Christmas party. The period setting is captured in opulent detail by Julia Trevelyan Oman’s designs, which include authentic Christmas tree decorations that are magically brought to life. Wright’s choreography ingeniously incorporates surviving fragments of the ballet’s original material, including the sublime pas de deux for the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Prince. But in emphasizing the relationship between Clara and the Nutcracker, the production also gains a touching subtext of first love.