NEW YORK—When seated in Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater and then hearing the opening strains of Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky’s enchanting score, one can relax and give oneself to that music and the exquisite dancing and dance story that soon follows.
This is the George Balanchine version of the “Nutcracker,” which the legendary choreographer first presented in February 1954 as New York City Ballet’s (NYCB) first full-length ballet. It has remained a staple of the holiday season ever since.
