St Petersburg Ballet Theatre, multiple venues, Australia & New Zealand

The famous Russian ballet troupe are bravely taking on two of Tchaikovsky's Christmas classics, "The Nutcracker" and "Swan Lake" for the winter season. After stops in Singapore and Macau, they will be traveling to Adelaide (December 7-11), Melbourne (December 13-17) and Sydney (December 21-23) before finishing the tour in New Zealand with dates in Christchurch (December 29-31), Wellington (January 5-7), and Auckland (January 12-14). 

www.st-petersburg-ballet.com

Opéra National de Paris, Paris, France

From December 5-31, the Parisian ballet company will be delighting audiences with their own rendition of "Swan Lake" choreographed by Rudolf Nureyev, one of the most celebrated Soviet dancers in history. The Etoiles will be accompanied by the Orchestre de l'Opéra national de Paris.

www.operadeparis.fr/en/

The National Ballet of Canada, Toronto, Canada

Sticklers for tradition, the Canadian ballet company are also offering a "spectacular reimagining" of "The Nutcracker" choreographed by James Kudelka, December 10-31, 2016. The dancers will be performing alongside the National Ballet of Canada orchestra with VIVA! Youth Singers of Toronto.

www.national.ballet.ca/

Dutch National Ballet, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

For an alternative holiday option (December 10 - January 1), the acclaimed Dutch ballet company have chosen "Coppelia", choreographed by Artistic Director Ted Brandsen. The late-Romantic comedy ballet, based on E.T.A. Hoffmann's story "Der Sandmann", is described as "a real feel-good ballet for the whole family." 

www.operaballet.nl/en/

Stuttgarter Ballett, Stuttgart, Germany

Resolutely staying away from a typical holiday season calendar, the German dance company will be performing Maximiliano Guerra's "Don Quixote: The Dreamer of La Mancha" based on the novel by Miguel de Cervantes from December 20, 2016 - January 3, 2017.

www.stuttgart-ballet.de/