The Nutcracker and the Mouse King

Godfather Drosselmeyer arrives to give gifts to the children.

The arrival at Candy Meadow is accompanied by the familiar "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" from the original ballet. Alan Cumming narrates.

Conceived by John Mauceri, this new work is a re-imagination of Tchaikovsky’s holiday favorite, "The Nutcracker." Based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s 1816 book, Alan Cumming recounts the origin story of how a prince got put into a nutcracker. Unlike the ballet, we also learn what happens when the young girl grows up, having saved the prince, and what they are doing today.

The beginning of the journey to the Capital City. Alan Cumming narrates.

The King sends the Nutcracker on his quest to find the crackerjack nut. The journey takes him across Europe with the orchestra to herald the arrival in each grand location. Alan Cumming narrates.

Alan Cumming narrates the crossing of the river of rose petals toward the Capital City. This music will be familiar to audiences as "The Waltz of the Flowers"