Royal New Zealand Ballet Tickets

The opening was like no other Nutcracker I had ever seen! Loved the kiwi quirkiness of it. Loved the kids performances and loved the feel of the bach holiday! Only in New Zealand would you get a summer holiday feel to the Nutcracker - well done

Beautiful orchestra. Some cool ideas. But the dancing and overall theatre experience didn’t quite deliver what you’d expect for the ticket price. Felt more like a family show than a polished, professional Nutcracker. Rating: 5/10 Act I – A Slow and Wobbly Start The show opens with a Kiwi-style beach party scene and lots of kids running around. Charming idea, sure, but the dancing looked very beginner-level: Hands at different heights Jumps not landing in sync Energy all over the place It honestly felt a bit like a school recital rather than a national ballet company. I was close to thinking, “Crikey… should I leave in the interval?” The only saving grace here? The orchestra, tight, professional, and sounded fantastic. They lifted the room while the dancers struggled to keep up. Act II – Improvements, but Still Not There After the break, the story shifts to a snowy mountain dreamland. Technique did improve: Better duets A very cool overhead mountain-view moment Nicer costuming But still lacking that classic organized chaos of a world-class Nutcracker where dozens of dancers move like one powerful machine. Instead: Mostly small group pieces More “individual showcase” than cohesive storytelling Sets looked quite plain for a magical ballet It never reached that feeling of “Wow… this is ballet greatness!” What You Normally Expect in a Top-Tier Nutcracker When you go to a high-level company, especially Russian ballet, you see: Multiple perfect pirouettes Grand jetés that feel like flying 32 fouettés from the Sugar Plum Fairy (legendary moment!) Corps de ballet moving with military precision Lifts and partnering that look effortless This performance? Some dancers tried, but the results were far from that level. The gap is noticeable. Is It Fair to Compare NZ Ballet to Russian Ballet? Honestly? Not really. Russia: centuries of tradition and global talent pools NZ: small country, younger ballet scene, fewer resources BUT… We still pay ticket prices. So expectations rise with the cost, fair enough. What I got felt more like: Ordering tailored trousers and receiving a pair of shorts. No joke. The shorts scene was a disappointment for me. Not terrible, just not what you paid for. Audience Experience – Another Let-Down A big part of ballet is the Atmosphere. This one? Very casual. Too casual. Lots of people talking during the show Kids yelling and chatting People clapping loudly at odd times Felt like a playground audience Not the respectful hush of a proper ballet night. It ruined the mood, made the performance feel even less professional. Highlight of the Night Let’s give proper credit: The orchestra was exceptional. The conductor and musicians nailed it. Their quality stood out head-and-shoulders above the rest. Without them, the rating would honestly slip even lower. Final Verdict CategoryScore Orchestra⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 6/5 (yes, they saved the night!) Dancing⭐⭐⭐☆☆☆ 3/6 Story Magic⭐⭐⭐☆☆☆ 3/6 Stage Atmosphere⭐⭐☆☆☆☆ Overall Value⭐⭐⭐☆☆☆ 5/10 A fun local version with a Kiwi twist… but not a world-class Nutcracker. Worth it if: You want a family-friendly Christmas outing You enjoy supporting local arts Not worth it if: You love elite ballet and pay expecting that You want classic Nutcracker grandeur

A fabulous night out. A delightful take on a classic, lots of kiwiana elements in the costumes, in the back drops and in the narrative . The orchestra were fantastic, their interpretation of composers work was seamless and beautiful. The venue is perfect for orchestral performances & is a warm intimate space to enjoy the ballet. Absolutely delightful.

An excellent performance of Tchaikovsky's ballet, the Nutcracker, with a small earthquake added for local interest. I loved the humor with the kiwification of the sweets and the weird little skyplane on skis. My only quibble was that I would've liked a properly extravagant dance spectacle for the Waltz of the Flowers, surely one of the greatest pieces of music written for ballet.

This ballet was very high quality. I particularly loved the snowfall part. All participants were amazing, kids included. Thanks a lot !

All I can say is Go see it!! A fantastic afternoon and an event to take you from the winter blues into a magical experience. Well done RNZB .

After enjoying several RNZB performances over the years I was suggested I must see Firebird. It was outstanding. Well done to everyone involved.

Well 3rd time lucky....I finally saw Firebird having previously been thwarted by Covid and then the recent Wellington storm. Whilst it has been long awaited it was worth the wait and disappointment as it was truly wonderful. The lead ballerina's performance was absolutely stunning and the other dancers were fabulous too. Thank you to Ticketmaster for allowing me to change venue and for your assistance in securing a great seat. My view was clear of obstacles.

Thoroughly enjoyed Firebird. It was exactly what I expected and more. Highly recommend it!

This ballet was absolutely spell binding. Stravinsky's ballet music played live is always a winner. Thus the music and choreography merged dynamically intensifying the story line with a sensuous, powerful and emotionally drenched stage presence. This was further enhanced by the beautiful costume designs for the Firebird. The stage visual effects added spectacularly to the theme through colour, textures, images and height. All the imagery added to the drama particularly to the lead dancers, which enabled them to highlight the intense power and dedication of the Firebird to achieve her goal. Her sheer determination to survival in the face of the impending doom was riveting. Congratulations to everyone involved in this production.

I have not been to an RNZ ballet production for many years, after enjoying many different top European ballet companies. I was thoroughly impressed, with the calibre of dancing. Choreography and lighting effects were also very stylish, creative and unique. Its so wonderful to see so many good male dancers appearing.

Loved everything about this performance, the sets, the costumes the music, the visual effects, the comfort of the theatre. Everything was a class act. The ballet, both of them exquisite and an absolute treat for the senses.

The firebird - was amazing . Effects were stunning , brilliant dancers

Fantastic evening from arrival to departure. Can't fault Sir Howard Morrison Centre. Stunning performance of Mid Summer Nights Dream. Thank you.