The Nutcracker with Dudamel: Tchaikovsky & Ellington

The Nutcracker has remarkably memorable music, yet stagings of the ballet often treat the score as an afterthought—typically as a prerecorded track piped in over speakers. But at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Tchaikovsky’s composition gets the attention it deserves—with a bit of a contemporary twist. Gustavo Dudamel will lead the LA Phil in selections from The Nutcracker, as well as Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington’s swinging, brassy take on the score. To be clear, this is a concert and not a stage production—so no costumed mice and Christmas trees here—so you may want to opt for a shorter, kid-friendly version (Dec 10, 17) if you have little ones.