The magician Herr Drosselmeyer needs to save his nephew. Hans-Peter has been transformed into a Nutcracker; the only way to save him is for the Nutcracker to defeat the Mouse King and find a girl to love and care for him.

A flicker of hope comes in the form of the young Clara, whom Drosselmeyer meets at a Christmas party. With some magic, a cosy Christmas gathering turns into a marvellous adventure.

Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker has enchanted audiences since its 1984 premiere by the Company. Featuring Tchaikovsky’s most familiar melodies and brought to life by Julia Trevelyan Oman’s exquisite designs, The Nutcracker is sure to be a festive firecracker for all ages.

Duration: 3h 10m minutes, one interval (to be confirmed)

Cast:
To be confirmed

Creatives:
Choreography PETER WRIGHT after LEV IVANOV
Music PYOTR IL’YICH TCHAIKOVSKY
Conductor KOEN KESSELS
Original Scenario MARIUS PETIPA after E.T.A. HOFFMANN
Production and Scenario PETER WRIGHT
Designer JULIA TREVELYAN OMAN
Lighting Designer MARK HENDERSON
Production Consultant ROLAND JOHN WILEY

Tickets: £15. Members, Friends and under 18s £12.50.

The magician Herr Drosselmeyer needs to save his nephew. Hans-Peter has been transformed into a Nutcracker; the only way to save him is for the Nutcracker to defeat the Mouse King and find a girl to love and care for him.

A flicker of hope comes in the form of the young Clara, whom Drosselmeyer meets at a Christmas party. With some magic, a cosy Christmas gathering turns into a marvellous adventure.

Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker has enchanted audiences since its 1984 premiere by the Company. Featuring Tchaikovsky’s most familiar melodies and brought to life by Julia Trevelyan Oman’s exquisite designs, The Nutcracker is sure to be a festive firecracker for all ages.

Duration: 3h 10m minutes, one interval (to be confirmed)

Please note: This is a special inclusive/children’s screening. Lights will not be lowered all the way and we will show the Royal Ballet’s animated Story of the Nutcracker before the main performance. Audience members will be free to come in and out of the auditorium.

Cast:
To be confirmed

Creatives:
Choreography PETER WRIGHT after LEV IVANOV
Music PYOTR IL’YICH TCHAIKOVSKY
Conductor KOEN KESSELS
Original Scenario MARIUS PETIPA after E.T.A. HOFFMANN
Production and Scenario PETER WRIGHT
Designer JULIA TREVELYAN OMAN
Lighting Designer MARK HENDERSON
Production Consultant ROLAND JOHN WILEY

Tickets: All £5.

A demonstration of Baroque dance techniques by Steps in Time. 

Join in or just watch!

Tickets: £10. Members & Friends £8. Under 18s free.

Shaftesbury Festival Of Baroque 2026 Season Ticket – £120. Members & Friends £100.

The season ticket gives you access to all the events scheduled for the Shaftesbury Festival of Baroque. Please show your festival season ticket at the entrance of each event.

To book your festival season ticket, click here.

The peasant girl Giselle has fallen in love with Albrecht. When she discovers that he is actually a nobleman promised to another, she kills herself in despair.

Her spirit joins the Wilis: the vengeful ghosts of women hell-bent on killing any man who crosses their path in a dance to the death. Wracked with guilt, Albrecht visits Giselle’s grave, where he must face the Wilis – and Giselle’s ghost.

Peter Wright’s 1985 production of this quintessential Romantic ballet is a classic of The Royal Ballet repertory. Set to Adolphe Adam’s evocative score and with atmospheric designs by John Macfarlane, Giselle conjures up the earthly and otherworldly realms in a tale of love, betrayal and redemption.

Duration: 3h 30m (to be confirmed)

Cast:
To be confirmed

Creatives:
Choreography MARIUS PETIPA after JEAN CORALLI and JULES PERROT
Music ADOLPHE ADAM Edited by LARS PAYNE
Conductor VELLO PAHN
Scenario THÉOPHILE GAUTIER after HEINRICH HEINE
Production and Additional Choreography PETER WRIGHT
Designer JOHN MACFARLANE
Original Lighting JENNIFER TIPTON Re-created by DAVID FINN

Tickets: £15. Members, Friends and under 18s £12.50.