"The Nutcracker On Ice" is set to make a fairytale Christmas debut in Mumbai

This December, The Nutcracker, perhaps the world’s most beloved holiday fairy tale, arrives in India for the very first time at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC). Audiences familiar with the tale will notice a striking shift: instead of ballet slippers, the story unfolds with ice skates cutting arcs of light across the stage.

 A timeless tale of magic

Based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s original 1816 tale and the legendary ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Lev Ivanov, this charming performance has captivated generations for over a century. Set in early 1900s St. Petersburg, the story follows young Marie, who receives a magical Nutcracker doll on Christmas Eve. Her enchanted journey takes her through a sparkling world of toy soldiers, dancing sweets, and the elegant Sugar Plum Fairy.

From New York to Paris, millions have been delighted by the holiday ballet, and NMACC now brings this tradition to India. With countless interpretations and performances every holiday season, it takes a creative mind to give it a fresh expression. Director and theatre-on-ice pioneer Tony Mercer, together with Olympic gold medallist Evgeny Platov and World Champion Maxim Staviski, aim to deliver that vision with The Nutcracker On Ice. 23 world-class skaters—Olympic, World, and National champions will perform to a reimagined Tchaikovsky score, enhanced by snow flurries, smoke, and moving scenic effects. 

Where ice meets art

It begins with a shimmer of snow. The stage at NMACC glistens under the lights, not with velvet or polished wood, but with an ice rink, a theatrical first for India. It transforms the space into a hybrid between an opera house and a winter wonderland. The sets, designed by Eamon D’Arcy, carry the audience from 1900s St. Petersburg to enchanted lands of sweets and snow, while the costumes, created by Elena Predvodeteleva, are a feast for the eyes.

Perhaps the most enduring trait of this classic holiday tale is its ability to transcend age. For younger audiences, it’s the gateway to a magical world of theatre, music, dance and the triumph of good over evil, offering them their first taste of cultural appreciation. For adults, it’s nostalgia, a reminder of simpler times and perhaps a nod to their own childhoods, when holidays were filled with childlike anticipation and wonder.

Reimagined traditions

For all those who want to experience the magic of a traditional white Christmas, this performance is the perfect opportunity to do so, right here in Mumbai. So much of Christmas is about traditions: decorating the tree, exchanging gifts, baking treats, and quality time with the family. Watching The Nutcracker is one such universal ritual—one that now has the chance to take root in India. This version, with its daring skaters, shimmering costumes, and a frozen wonderland of a stage, feels like exactly the kind of tradition a new generation might embrace.

 

Lead image: Pexels

Photo credits: Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre

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