Monday 11 November 2019

Christmas is coming as ’s festive favourite is broadcast in UK cinemas

It wouldn’t be December without a visit to Clara’s Christmas party and to the Kingdom of Sweets. The Royal Ballet’s Christmas staple The Nutcracker will be broadcast to about 600 UK cinemas on dates from Tuesday 17 December 2019 at 7.15pm. The wonderful tale of Clara and Hans-Peter, their battle with the evil Mouse King and their magical journey to the home of the Sugar Plum Fairy will transport UK cinema audiences to a winter wonderland.

Artists of The Royal Ballet in The Nutcracker, The Royal Ballet ©2015 ROH. Photographed by Tristram Kenton

Recorded in 2016, this Royal Ballet broadcast of The Nutcracker features a stunning cast including Lauren Cuthbertson as the Sugar Plum Fairy, Federico Bonelli as her Prince, Francesca Hayward as Clara and Alexander Campbell as Hans-Peter (the Nutcracker). Other Royal Ballet favourites performing include Gary Avis as Drosselmeyer, Marcelino Sambé and Mayara Magri, to name a but a few.

The Royal Opera House cinema broadcasts offer audiences the best seat in the house, and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and interviews. Audiences are never far from a performance at the Royal Opera House, with most UK viewers within 30 miles of a cinema screening.

The Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker will be broadcast in cinemas on dates from Tuesday 17 December at 7.15pm. The ballet lasts 2 hours and 15 minutes and includes one interval. (Share on social using #ROHnutcracker). The next ballet cinema performance will be The Royal Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty, live in cinemas on Thursday 16 January 2020. For more information and to buy tickets: https://www.roh.org.uk/cinemas

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. For further information or interview requests please contact Rachel Gaston 2. To request tickets to your nearest cinema broadcast email: Hannah Last 3. Download images: https://we.tl/t-bVFJmNIbDw

The 2019/20 Royal Opera House Cinema Season is as follows:

• The Royal Ballet’s Coppélia o Live from Tuesday 10 December 2019, encore on Sunday 15 December 2019 • The Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker (recorded 2016) o From Tuesday 17 December 2019 • The Royal Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty o Live Thursday 16 January 2020, encore on Sunday 19 January 2020 • The Royal Opera’s La bohème (co-production with Teatro Real, Madrid, and Lyric Opera of Chicago) o Live Wednesday 29 January 2020, encore on Sunday 2 February 2020 • The Royal Ballet’s The Cellist (world premiere)/Dances at a Gathering o Live Tuesday 25 February 2020, encore on Sunday 1 March 2020 • The Royal Opera’s Fidelio (new production) o Live Tuesday 17 March 2020, encore on Sunday 22 March 2020 • The Royal Ballet’s o Live Wednesday 1 April 2020, encore on Sunday 5 April 2020 • The Royal Opera’s Cavalleria rusticana/Pagliacci (co-production with La Monnaie, Brussels, Opera Australia and Göteborg Opera) o Live Tuesday 21 April 2020, encore on Sunday 26 April 2020 • The Royal Ballet’s The Dante Project (world premiere) o Live Thursday 28 May 2020, encore on Sunday 31 May 2020 • The Royal Opera’s Elektra (new production) o Live Thursday 18 June 2020, encore Sunday 21 June 2020

About the Royal Opera House Live Cinema Season

The Royal Opera House celebrates 11 years of live cinema broadcasts in 2019, leading the way in delivering world-class opera and ballet around the world. In the 2019/20 cinema season, our broadcasts will reach over 1,600 cinemas in more than 53 countries worldwide.

The Royal Opera House has seen huge growth in the influence of independent cinemas in the UK, now collectively accounting for almost half of our network. In addition to being shown in 600 UK cinemas, our productions regularly broadcast to over 1,000 cinemas internationally through our partnership with Trafalgar Releasing.

Audiences are also able to access a vast array of livestreamed and on-demand content via the Royal Opera House’s official YouTube channel, which is the most subscribed YouTube channel of any arts organizations in the world.