A proudly Filipino ‘The Nutcracker’ is coming to Makati this December
Christmas just isn't complete without The Nutcracker, and this December, the holiday classic returns for a limited run. Presented by Ayala Land and featuring dancers from Ballet Manila and Steps Dance Studio, this production promises to be a festive delight for audiences of all ages.
While the Philippines has experienced numerous stagings of the timeless ballet, this production has something different in store.
The idea of this Nutcracker staging sprang from the minds of Ayala Land Arts and culture director Christopher Mohnani and Steps Dance Studio director Sofia Zobel-Elizalde six years ago. The two had envisioned a production at the then newly built Samsung Performing Arts Theater at Circuit Makati.
“We were thinking we need an annual tradition that we can claim as our own that is built here, done here, choreographed here, and features the fantastic artists that we have here in the Philippines,” shared Mohnani during the press preview on Friday, Nov. 6.
The production features Ballet Manila under the leadership of artistic director and CEO Liza Macuja-Elizalde. The classic ballet holds a special place in the prima ballerina's heart, having previously danced the role of Clara herself.
"It's a bit of a full-circle moment for many of us," Macuja-Elizalde shared, highlighting the team’s decades-long partnership. She noted that the collaboration between seasoned professional dancers and young students is one of the highlight performances to look forward to.
CONTINUE READING BELOW
Monino Duque, the lighting designer, also shared that The Nutcracker “brings that feeling of Christmas, which does not happen all the time."
"And I think that's the magic that I'm looking forward to,” she told the media.
Duque shared that the partnership between all the artists is where the magic comes together and promises to create such magic for the audience to experience.
Production designer Gino Gonzales, for his part, said that it took years to mount the show, and he had previously designed sets for a few segments and one act of the ballet. Crafting the set and costumes for the complete ballet was a daunting task, but the collaboration between the creatives that made a full-length staging of The Nutcracker possible despite the odds.
In bringing The Nutcracker to life, choreographer Jeffrey Espejo commented on the production’s take on the immortal ballet, hinging on Filipino familial values: “It's still the same classical ballet that you love, but with a Filipino beat of heart.”
Espejo emphasized that Filipino dancers bring more than just technical precision to the stage—they bring deep artistry, a sentiment Macuja-Elizalde echoed. The prima ballerina recalled a moment when a Russian audience member praised Filipino performers, noting that every time they step onto the stage, they perform as if it were the last show of their lives.
"Because they give it, as we say, todo na; you know, not holding back," she said.
The production gave a special preview at the Steps Dance studio on Friday, performing a few of the ballet’s iconic pieces, and to say the least, the dancers exhibited the very same passion and heart as commended by Ballet Manila’s director.
This particular staging of The Nutcracker is the debut performance of the ballet at the Samsung Arts Theater, with hopes of the venue being the ballet’s official home for years to come.
“The incredible dancers, the young students, the sets, the costumes, the design, we should really all be very proud that it's all Filipino made in a beautiful theater that was created for Filipino audiences,” told Zobel-Elizalde. “[...] with this Tchaikovsky music, you're never tired of it. Every time I sit beside Monino and we listen to the beautiful music of Nutcracker, I think we're both holding back our tears because it just never gets old.”
Set to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s timeless 1892 score, The Nutcracker unfolds on Christmas Eve when young Clara receives a magical nutcracker doll from her godfather, Drosselmeyer. After coming to life to defeat the evil Mouse King, the Nutcracker whisks Clara away on an enchanting journey to the Land of Sweets.
It runs from Dec. 11 to 13 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit Makati. Tickets are now on sale at Ticketworld.
WATCH: Can you still trust someone who betrayed you? (Generations Ep. 22)
September 23, 2026
WATCH: Can we talk about death and grief? (Generations Ep. 25)
October 14, 2026
WATCH: Is Philippine cinema still thriving? (Generations Ep. 19)
September 2, 2026