Philadelphia Ballet’s Nutcracker Returns With $10 Opening-Night Tickets

Philadelphia Ballet will bring back George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker for its 59th annual production at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia. The run is scheduled for Dec. 4 through Dec. 31, with 35 performances. Opening night is set for 7 p.m. on Dec. 4, and tickets for that performance cost $10. Tickets for other shows start at $29.

The ballet follows Marie on a Christmas Eve adventure after her Nutcracker doll comes to life. After defeating the Mouse King, she journeys through a wintry forest and reaches a confectionery kingdom, meeting lively sweets, including candy canes, flowers and the Sugarplum Fairy.

The show brings together 51 dancers from Philadelphia Ballet, 45 orchestra players and over 170 young performers enrolled at two nearby dance academies. Tchaikovsky’s score will be performed live by the Philadelphia Ballet Orchestra, accompanied by vocalists from the Philadelphia Boys and Girls Choirs and Commonwealth Youth Choir.

A sensory-friendly performance is scheduled for Dec. 26 at noon. The show will have softer audio, modified illumination and a designated quiet space. Audience members may move around, talk or leave the auditorium during the show.

A typical performance lasts approximately two hours and eight minutes, with a 20-minute break. The final show is scheduled for noon on Dec. 31. Children younger than 3 are not admitted. The ballet is also offering Art-Reach ACCESS tickets, which must be collected at the Academy of Music box office with a valid ACCESS card. Verified military members and first responders can access savings through GOVX.