Ballett Zurich’s striking production of The Nutcracker and the Mouse King is a spectacular contemporary version of the great Tchaikovsky ballet by visionary choreographer Christian Spuck. Emphasizing the fantastical nature of the origin material rather than the delightful Christmas fairytale, Spucks’ choreography plays with the richness of characters in E.T.A. Hoffmann’s narrative cosmos, the absurdity and humor that inhabit them while at the same time looking down into the dark abyss of Romanticism. He brings back the tale of Princess Pirlipat, who turns into a nut monster and Drosselmeier’s workshop turns into an old revue-theater, where the ballet’s characters come to life. Tchaikovsky’s sublime and whimsical score is at times interpreted by a simple accordion, at others recreated in full by the impeccable Philharmonia Zürich under the baton of Paul Connelly. A feast for the eyes and ears, this inspired performance was recorded at the Opernhaus Zürich in 2018. Film image, synopsis and related credits courtesy of Stage Access.