The Royal Ballet’s cosily familiar The Nutcracker returns to welcome in Christmas yet again

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Sir Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker: Dancers of The Royal Ballet, The Schola Cantorum of The London Oratory School, London Oratory Junior Choir (director: Charles Cole), Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Andrew Litton (conductor). Broadcast live (directed by Peter Jones) for the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, 12.12.2023 and seen at Everyman Chelmsford, Essex, 18.12.2023. (JPr)

Anna Rose O’Sullivan (Sugar Plum Fairy) and Marcelino Sambé (Prince) © Alice Pennefather

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Dancing in a Winter Wonderland: Aljaž and Janette return to celebrate love, kindness, family and Christmas

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Aljaž and Janette – Dancing in a Winter Wonderland: Aljaž Škorjanec and Janette Manrara (co-creators and choreography) and Company (Miranda Wilford, Adrian Hansel [featured singers], Robbie Kmetoni, Faye Huddleston [lead partners], Kiera Brunton, Jack Dargen, Kate Kenrick, George Michaelides, Tony Scott-Obene, Rose Wild [ensemble]), Gareth Walker (show director and choreographer), Coldwell (associate director and assistant chorographer), Matt Howes (musical director), Doug FF Cairns (set and lighting designer), Ryan Howard (screen content). Cliffs Pavilion, Southend-on-Sea, 1.12.2023. (JPr)

Aljaž Škorjanec and Janette Manrara © Fiona Whyte for The TCB Group

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Carlos Acosta’s Don Quixote is reviewed through today’s lens: could the Royal Ballet dance any better?

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Minkus (arr. and orch. Martin Yates), Don Quixote: Dancers of The Royal Ballet, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Valery Ovsyanikov (conductor). Recorded live (directed by Ross MacGibbon) at the Royal Opera House, London, 7.11.2023 and seen at Everyman Cinema, Chelmsford, Essex. 13.11.2023. (JPr)

Matthew Ball as Basilio in Don Quixote © Andrej Uspenski

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Jerome Robbins evening at the Paris Opera Ballet: can it ever be better than this?

FranceFrance Jerome Robbins: Paris Opera Ballet, Orchestre de l’Opéra National de Paris / Maria Seletskaja (conductor). Palais Garnier, Paris, 25.10.2023. (JO’D)

Jerome Robbins’s The Concert: Vessela Pelovska (piano), Hannah O’Neill and Pauline Verdusen © Julien Benhamou/OnP

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