It is the twinkliest of Christmas treats. The Nutcracker is the gift that keeps on giving.

This Christmas morning, you can watch The Nutcracker from The Royal Ballet on BBC Two.

As far as I’m aware, this is the only classical ballet with a stage cue for “glitter.”

Our Sugar Plum Fairy and her Prince, Anna Rose O’Sullivan & Marcelino Sambé, glossy as ganache, headline this cast for The Royal Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker; one glittery interlude after another.

This is a cast fairly overflowing with talent. Special mention to the sparkling Isabella Gasparini as the Rose Fairy, her fleet feet like dancing points of glitter.

Sophie Allnatt, dancing the role of Clara, a lyrical comma nestling up to the bold exclamation mark of her Nutcracker, Leo Dixon, wove the sparkling story threads together with the stylish assistance of Thomas Whitehead as Herr Drosselmeyer, until there’s nothing left to do but dance.

Snowflakes and Drosselmeyer in a performance of The Nutcracker at the Royal Opera House – (C) Royal Opera House – Photographer: Andrej Uspenski

And then, those slightly rascally spirits, the Snowflakes, a filigree of tiny tinsel shards dancing like butterflies along the edges of winter.

This performance of The Nutcracker was filmed on Tuesday 12 December 2023.

The Full Cast of The Nutcracker

The Sugar Plum Fairy ANNA ROSE O’SULLIVAN

The Prince MARCELINO SAMBÉ

Herr Drosselmeyer THOMAS WHITEHEAD

Clara SOPHIE ALLNATT

Hans-Peter/The Nutcracker LEO DIXON

Act I

Drosselmeyer’s assistant DAICHI IKARASHI

Dr Stahlbaum CHRISTOPHER SAUNDERS

Mrs Stahlbaum KRISTEN MCNALLY

Fritz ALFIE NAPOLITANO

Clara’s partner LIAM BOSWELL

Grandmother JULIA ROSCOE

Grandfather HARRY CHURCHES

Housekeeper BARBARA RHODES

Maiden aunts CAROLINE JENNINGS, CLARE LUMLEY

Dancing mistress CHRISTINA ARESTIS

Captain KEVIN EMERTON

Harlequin TÉO DUBREUIL

Columbine CHARLOTTE TONKINSON

Soldier TAISUKE NAKAO

Vivandière MARIKO SASAKI

Mouse King DAVID DONNELLY

Snowflakes ARTISTS OF THE ROYAL BALLET

Singers THE SCHOLA CANTORUM OF THE LONDON ORATORY SCHOOL, LONDON ORATORY JUNIOR CHOIR

Director CHARLES COLE

Act II

Spanish dance HANNAH GRENNELL, AIDEN O’BRIEN, MADISON BAILEY, GIACOMO ROVERO, MADDISON PRITCHARD, HARRY CHURCHES

Arabian dance OLIVIA COWLEY, LUKAS B. BRÆNDSRØD

Chinese dance FRANCISCO SERRANO, STANISŁAW WĘGRZYN

Russian dance JOSHUA JUNKER, TAISUKE NAKAO

Dance of the Mirlitons CHARLOTTE TONKINSON, AMELIA TOWNSEND, YU HANG, GINEVRA ZAMBON

Waltz of the Flowers

Rose Fairy ISABELLA GASPARINI

Rose Fairy Escorts DAVID DONNELLY, TÉO DUBREUIL, HARRISON LEE, JOSEPH SISSENS

Leading Flowers LETICIA DIAS, ISABEL LUBACH, JULIA ROSCOE, MARIKO SASAKI

Flowers ARTISTS OF THE ROYAL BALLET

Students of The Royal Ballet School appear by kind permission of the Artistic Director, CHRISTOPHER POWNEY

The Nutcracker from The Royal Ballet

Christmas Day 2025

BBC Two

11:25am

1 hour, 37 minutes

Available on iPlayer shortly after broadcast.

The Nutcracker Rehearsal – Anna-Rose O’Sullivan – (C) Royal Opera House – Photographer: Andrej Uspenski