Icons Rediscovered: Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker and Iolanta

A blind princess, a doting father, and a miracle cure that can only act through the power of true love. No composer knew how to tell stories and tug at the heartstrings better than Tchaikovsky, and his melodious, fairytale one-act opera Iolanta leaves audiences reaching for their handkerchiefs every time.

Vasily Petrenko loves it, and for this one-off semi-staged revival at the Royal Albert Hall, he has gathered a truly world-class cast: singers who have known Tchaikovsky’s music all their lives.

First though, comes the music that the composer originally intended to programme in concert with Iolanta: the magic (and mouthwatering melodies) of The Nutcracker. A familiar masterpiece and a neglected one: together at last, just as Tchaikovsky would have wanted.