Choreographer of Royal Ballet’s Nutcracker reflects on ‘enduringly popular’ show

Choreographer Sir Peter Wright has reflected on his “enduringly popular” production of The Nutcracker, which was created for the Royal Ballet in 1984.

The 99-year-old spoke about his ballet production, reflecting on its “special moments”, as it continues to be performed more than 40 years later.

The Nutcracker ballet was composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, loosely based on the 1816 novel The Nutcracker And The Mouse King by ETA Hoffmann.

Set in the 19th century, Sir Peter’s version of the ballet focuses on a young girl, Clara, who befriends a nutcracker that comes to life on Christmas Eve.

When asked about special moments in the ballet, Sir Peter said: “The battle between the toy soldiers and the mice has such an air of excitement, and is a great moment for the students of The Royal Ballet School to be featured.

“The transformation scene that precedes this, where the Christmas tree grows and grows, is also an exhilarating moment of great drama.”

“Tchaikovsky’s music is what makes the ballet so enduringly popular. It’s such a wonderful score and really tells the story.

“The grand pas de deux between the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Prince is such marvellous music.”

The choreographer, who is due to turn 100 years old next November, also reflected on his first production of The Nutcracker in 1984.

He created the ballet for the Royal Opera House, and it is still performed there to this day.

He said: “I remember my production opening with Lesley Collier and Anthony Dowell dazzling as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Prince.

“There have been so many wonderful casts through the generations, most recently at opening night this season last month with Fumi Kaneko and William Bracewell, when I was lucky to have my 99th birthday celebrated.”

Sir Peter started working as the director of Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet in 1977 and supervised its transformation into the Birmingham Royal Ballet in 1990.

To celebrate the company’s move to Birmingham, he commissioned a new ballet for it, and gave it the version of The Nutcracker it still performs to this day, almost 30 years later.

In 1985, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), and in 1993 he was given his knighthood in the Queen’s birthday honours list.

The award-winning choreographer retired from his post at the Birmingham Royal Ballet in 1995, and was made director laureate.

The Royal Ballet’s 2023 production of The Nutcracker will air from 11.25am on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer on Christmas Day.