ABC Television will broadcast the acclaimed, sell-out production on Christmas Eve.

The festive magic of The Australian Ballet’s production of Tchaikovsky’s Christmas spectacular, The Nutcracker, will be enjoyed by people across the country this Christmas Eve when it is broadcast on ABC TV.

This family favourite is a sumptuous staging of the timeless story of magical battles, handsome princes and the dancing inhabitants of the land of sweets. Although the original staging of the ballet in 1892 was far from successful it has since become a Christmas time staple of theatres around the globe since contemporary revivals of the ballet won legions of fans from the 1960s onwards.

This classic production, the second of celebrated British choreographer Sir Peter Wright’s two acclaimed stagings of The Nutcracker, is one of the most recognised in the world due to the international success of the 1994 film adaptation. Originally created by Wright for the Birmingham Royal Ballet in 1990, The Australian Ballet have enjoyed sell-out runs of the show at both the Arts Centre Melbourne and Sydney Opera House this year. The performance being broadcast this Christmas Eve stars Benedicte Bemet...