For this new creation, the renowned Benjamin Millepied offers his own bold and personal vision of this ballet.
About the production
Twenty years ago, Benjamin Millepied created his first major ballet, Casse-Noisette, for the Grand Théâtre de Genève Ballet. That version blended classical vocabulary with a sense of freedom shaped by his years as a dancer at the New York City Ballet. He now revisits this story with a distinct choreographic language and a renewed spirit of invention.
For this production, he collaborates with celebrated painter Paul Cox, whose sets and costumes bring a whimsical, fairy-tale atmosphere infused with childhood wonder. The story remains: on Christmas Eve, Clara falls asleep among her toys and dreams of a Nutcracker who turns into a prince. Millepied emphasizes musicality and rhythm, allowing movement to flow beyond the structure of the score. The music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, performed by the Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice, anchors this vibrant reinterpretation of a timeless ballet, created for a new generation.
Production
Coproduction Opéra Nice Côte d’Azur, The Grace Company
Music Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Musical direction Daniel Gil
Choreography Benjamin Millepied
Assistant choreographer Bruno Roy
Sets and costumes Paul Cox
Lighting Lucy Carter
Ballet of the Opéra Nice Côte d’Azur
Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice
Chorus of the Opéra de Nice
