The ballet, staged by the Russian ballet theatre Talarium et Lux (Ballet and Light), is one of the world’s most famous and festive.

It is based on the story – The Nutcracker and the King of Mice – written by E. T. A. Hoffman.

Its second version has been re-written by the French writer Alexandre Dumas.

Its music is written by Russian composer P.I. Tchaikovsky. 

The ballet premieres in St Petersburg on December 18, 1892.

The complete Nutcracker has enjoyed enormous popularity since the late 1960s and is now a Christmas season favourite, especially in North America.

More than any other ballet, The Nutcracker is about children and the magic of childhood.

The story is about a child, and many of the dancers in the ballet are also children. 

That’s why the ballet organizers hold auditions in Hanoi to recruit local child dancers for the performances in Hanoi.

All proceeds from the ballet go to the Thien Nhan Charity Association.