Premieres Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV / Stream with KPBS+
Experience the holiday classic in a new light, featuring over 100 dancers and musicians performing at the London Coliseum. Against an Edwardian London backdrop, this "Nutcracker" is reimagined to centralize Clara throughout the story. Set to Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, the film features choreography by English National Ballet artistic director Aaron S. Watkin and Olivier Award winner Arielle Smith.
“Our 'Nutcracker' respects the traditions and narrative beats of the classic story, but we’ve elevated it further,” said co-choreographer Arielle Smith. “There are twists and turns and new elements to keep the performers and audiences on their toes. We wanted to challenge what we perceive 'Nutcracker' to be. I hope audiences will feel that it’s something new and fresh.”
Principal dancers include Delilah Wiggins (Clara Child), Ivana Bueno (Clara Adolescent), Junor Souza (Drosselmeyer), Francesco Gabriele Frola (Nutcracker Prince), Rhys Antoni Yeomans (Nutcracker Doll), Emma Hawes (Sugar Plum Fairy), Aitor Arrieta (Sugar Plum Cavalier), Rentaro Nakaaki (Rat King) and Anna Nevzorova (The Ice Queen). Sets and costumes are by Dick Bird with lighting by Paul Pyant.
Founded in 1950 as London Festival Ballet by English dancers Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin, English National Ballet has been opening up the possibilities of ballet, to move more people in more ways, ever since.
Watch On Your Schedule: "Nutcracker from English National Ballet" will be available to stream with KPBS+, a new free streaming video app designed for ease and enjoyment everywhere you watch including Roku, smart TVs and mobile devices. It’s locally curated for San Diego by the KPBS programming team. With a clean and intuitive design, discovering and enjoying KPBS and PBS content on-demand has never been easier.
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About The Series: For more than 50 years on PBS, GREAT PERFORMANCES has provided an unparalleled showcase of the best in all genres of the performing arts, serving as America’s most prestigious and enduring broadcaster of cultural programming. Showcasing a diverse range of artists from around the world, the series has earned 67 Emmy Awards, a Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre and six Peabody Awards.
Credits: Co-produced by Cornerstone Studios and English National Ballet. Directed for the screen by Peter Jones. For Great Performances, Joan Hershey is producer, Bill O’Donnell is series producer and David Horn is executive producer. The series is produced by The WNET Group.
