There can be few better ways to spend an evening in the run up to Christmas than at the ballet - and especially at the fairytale Nutcracker.

The Russian State Ballet of Siberia are in Cardiff over the festive period, and give a glittering performance of one of Tchaikovsky's most famous ballets.

It is Christmas Eve in a small German town in the 19th century, and we are guided through the enchanting story of an old toymaker Drosselmeyer who is at a party at the Stahlbaum house and conjures up different toys for the children present.

The hosts' daughter Marie, chooses a Nutcrackr doll, and unable to sleep that night, goes back to the drawing room. Droseemeyer quietly transforms the room. First an army of mice appear led by the mouse king - and then the Nutcracker doll is changed into a handsome prince who dances with Marie.
They dance with such grace and skill that the audience is transfixed, espeically in the final scene of the first act, when they are joined by 16 'snowflakes'!

In the second act the Nutcracker Prince fights with and eventually overwhelms the mouse king and his army, before Marie wakes up from her dream.

Throughout the costumes and set are stunningly glamorous and colourful, while the Russian State Ballet Orchestra led by musical director Anatoly Tchepurnoi take us through some wonderful renditions of the well-known pieces such as Waltz of the Flowers and Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

It is an evening to remember, and at just under two hours including an interval, a great treat for younger members of the family too.

*The Nutcracker runs until December 28th, then the Russian State Ballet will give several performances of Swan Lake from December 29 to January 3.