The Nutcracker at the Gare du Midi

Culture · Dance · Gare du Midi

The Christmas ballet par excellence, a week before the holidays. Tchaikovsky, a growing fir tree, a battle with mice: the family outing nobody has ever regretted.

The Nutcracker is December’s obligatory passage the world over, and there is a reason for that longevity: Tchaikovsky’s score is among the most immediately seductive in the repertoire, and the story holds up for a six-year-old and their grandfather alike.

The best possible first time

If you are looking to take someone to the ballet for the first time, this is the title. The story is simple, the tableaux follow one another without dead time, and the music is familiar before you even enter the hall. No risk of losing anyone halfway through the second act.

The local tip

Book early and aim for the stalls: in ballet, seeing the legs matters more than being close. And allow plenty of time for leaving if you are bringing young children — December at the Gare du Midi also means a slow exit.

The one ballet everybody knows without having seen it.

The editorial team
ici Biarritz