Candy-crazed: ENB’s sweet-toothed Nutcracker returns

Sangeun Lee (Sugar Plum Fairy), Gareth Haw (Cavalier) and English National Ballet dancers

The Nutcracker, Act 1

Paulo Rodrigues (Nutcracker Prince) and Ivana Bueno (Clara)

Anna Nevzorova (Ice Queen) and English National Ballet dancers

Minju Kang, Elvis Nudo and Jose María Lorca Menchón (Sahlab)

By Mark Pullinger, 12 December 2025

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“they go big on the confectionery angle – and why not in this most sweet-toothed ballet?”

Reviewed at The London Coliseum, London on 11 December 2025

The Nutcracker (Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov, Aaron Watkin, Arielle Smith)

English National Ballet

Maria Seletskaja, Conductor

Dick Bird, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Paul Pyant, Lighting Designer

English National Ballet Philharmonic

Ivana Bueno, Dancer

Junor Souza, Dancer

Paulo Rodrigues, Dancer

Sangeun Lee, Dancer

Gareth Haw, Dancer

Anna Nevzorova, Dancer

Acosta's Don Quixote for BRB: polished but not quite enough panache

Jonathan Gray, 23rd April

Carlos Acosta's Don Quixote for Birmingham Royal Ballet returned to Sadler's Wells with polished but low-key interpretations across the board.

***11

Natalia Makarova's La Bayadère: a night to remember in Oslo

Vikki Jane Vile, 17th April

Norwegian National Ballet gives a marvellous rendition of Natalia Makarova's La Bayadère. Opening night in Oslo was a strong argument for its place in any season, displaying ballet escapism at its best.

****1

José Martínez unveils his latest Don Quichotte in Palermo

Vito Lentini, 29th March

José Martínez has envisioned a Don Quichotte that recalls the original 19th century choreography while also acknowledging some of the notable 20th century versions and it's splendid looking.

****1

Dutch National Ballet's reimagined La Bayadère triumphs

Mark Vicente, 26th March

Dutch National Ballet's new production of La Bayadère does away with the ballet’s problematic gestures and movements, allowing the choreography to truly shine.

****1

American Ballet Theatre's double bill is short and sweet in New York

Ivy Lin, 15th March

American Ballet Theatre presents Balanchine's Raymonda: Grand Pas Hongrois and Ratmansky's Firebird which showcases the company well and provides a strong contrast.

****1

Mejia debuts in a sumptuous Sleeping Beauty at New York City Ballet

Carla Escoda, 12th February

Roman Mejia and a raft of soloist debuts galvanized Peter Martins' Sleeping Beauty. An elegant production with some incidental messiness and the structural liability of a princess' dependence on a kiss.

****1

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Mark Pullinger

Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.

Candy-crazed: English National Ballet’s sweet-toothed Nutcracker returns