The holiday season begins, and tradition returns to our city, full of magic and celebration. This year, once again the Houston Ballet will bring to life the holiday fantasy with “The Nutcracker” (The Nutcracker), which will be performed from November 27 to December 28, 2026 at the Wortham Theater Center.
Although it is a classic that has been presented for several decades, this season marks the tenth anniversary of the grand production by artistic director Stanton Welch AM, premiered by the company in 2016.
“The Nutcracker”, a tradition cherished in Houston for generations, is expected to draw an estimated more than 70,000 spectators across 37 performances during the Christmas season; in addition, three matinée performances for students will be offered, with more than 2,200 students, teachers and chaperones expected to attend.
“It is a tradition that belongs to the people of Houston,” Welch said. “What makes this production especially unique is the community of dancers, students, technicians, artists, musicians and families who come together to make each performance extraordinary. Ten years after its premiere, I still love seeing Clara’s imagination come to life on stage and watching a new generation of young dancers experience the magic of ‘The Nutcracker’,” he added.
The Houston Ballet Corps dancer Saul Newport in Stanton Welch’s “The Nutcracker.” Photo by Alana Campbell/Courtesy of the Houston Ballet.
Welch’s remarkable interpretation of this classical ballet transforms Clara’s world into a dreamlike landscape, filled with extraordinary characters and a dazzling theatrical spectacle.
The production features sumptuous designs by Tim Goodchild, created specifically for the dimensions of the Wortham Theater Center stage. The set was custom-built by a highly qualified team of 67 technicians and includes five scenery changes throughout the performance.
The production presents 45 human characters and 237 fantastical characters. The artistic directors Julie Kent and Stanton Welch, the director of the Houston Ballet Academy, Jennifer Sommers, together with the ballet masters and instructors of the academy, will lead more than 400 artists during the month-long run of performances; among them, 61 dancers from the Houston Ballet company, 285 students from the Houston Ballet Academy, and 56 community children.
The iconic score by Tchaikovsky will come to life thanks to the 61 members of the Houston Ballet Orchestra, under the baton of the musical director and principal conductor Simon Thew, together with guest conductors Richard Bado and Ermanno Florio.
A rotating group of ten women performs the elevated and melismatic vocal line, accompanying the Snow Waltz, adding another layer of magic to one of the production’s most memorable moments.
Tickets are on sale on the Houston Ballet’s official website, at www.houstonballet.org.
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