Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker: Kingdom of the Sweets Simon Rattle, Berliner Philharmoniker

Day 11 🎄 Act II of The Nutcracker introduces the Kingdom of Sweets, home to the palace of Clara’s Nutcracker prince. Here, they will meet the dazzling Sugar Plum Fairy. The Nutcracker by Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic (Berliner Philharmoniker) remains one of the most iconic recordings of Tchaikovsky’s beloved “fairy ballet“. Long after its premiere on December 18, 1892, the Romantic-Era masterpiece has become a staple of the Christmas season in both its original ballet and orchestral forms. Listen to the full album here: Many of its numbers have become world-famous themes, especially prominent in classical music performances and pop culture around the holidays: from the extraordinary opening Miniature Overture to the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, Waltz of the Flowers, Dance of the Reed Flutes, March from Act I, and Trepak (Russian Dance). Conductor Sir Simon Rattle calls The Nutcracker “one of the great miracles in music.” #Classical