The Christmas season is well under way at the Royal Opera House with the Royal Ballet performing the ever-popular Nutcracker – also available on DVD from Opus Arte to enjoy at home!

 At Christmas time, a young girl gets a present she’ll never forget – a trip to a land where everything is made of sweets. The Nutcracker is the ultimate Christmas show, with a succession of Tchaikovsky’s best known, most sparkling dance tunes. This seasonal favourite draws on all the imagination and fantasy of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s story of Christmas Eve, when young Clara creeps downstairs for one of her presents, but finds herself instead at the start of a night of magical adventures.

The designs for this now-classic Royal Ballet production re-create a 19th century image of Christmas, including the decorated tree that magically grows and the toy soldiers that come to life to fight the Mouse King. The beautifully coloured imaginings of the fantasy Sugar Garden and its celebratory dances make a fabulous contrast, and Peter Wright’s production tells the story clearly from its mysterious start to its happy conclusion.

Tchaikovsky’s music is some of the most instantly memorable in all ballet, with a wealth of famous melodies. The Nutcracker is classical ballet at its most approachable and visually entrancing, with something for everyone to enjoy, from the youngest in the family to the oldest – a Christmas present that brings a special magic each year it returns.

You can catch performances on 7, 11, 13, 18, 20 and 23 December – click here for detailsor enjoy the same production in the comfort of your own home on DVD . Another treat is the San Francisco Ballet’s staging of the Ballet.

Operatic seasonal offers for the whole family include Humperdinck’s Hansel & Gretel  and Mozart’s The Magic Flute , both from the Royal Opera House.Christmas wouldn’t be complete with a carol concert such as Carols from King’s; or enjoy one of the best-loved British opera stars in Lesley Garrett Live at Christmas .