The wonderful music of the enthusiastic, the choreography of Frédéric Olivieri, the snow that falls in a whirl of flakes, the battle of the rats, the exotic dances: this is The Nutcracker, a Christmas fairytale told through dance and performed by the pupils of the Ballet School of the Accademia Teatro alla Scala, which has become a little December classic at the Teatro Strehler.
«The Nutcracker is particularly suitable for our young dancers – says Frédéric Olivieri –. The sequence of the scenes and the layout of the first act, the many characters and the dances, and the important pas de deux in the second act allows them to express themselves both technically and artistically, highlighting all their potential as future professionals». 
Presented for the first time in 2011, the show expresses the fairytale atmosphere of the original ballet, which made its debut in 1892 at the Mariinskij theatre in Saint Petersburg, crowning the previous ballet triumphs of Tchaikovsky, Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty, as well as the flair of Marius Petipa. Lev Ivanovič Ivanov, taking over from Petipa, created a choreography based on the softer version by Dumas of E. T. Hoffmann’s dark tale The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. A ballet which serves as an important testing ground for the pupils, who are constantly involved in intensive dance-related activities which enhance their daily study activities.

The performance on Saturday 13 December (3 PM) is accessible for neurodivergent spectators. 
For info and bookings: accessibilita@piccoloteatromilano.it

The show is part of the Piccolo Aperto project organised with the contribution of the Fondazione di Comunità Milano