THE Russian State Ballet's Nutcracker (at the Point until Sunday night) is the best version of the Tchaikovsky classic that I have seen.
Choreographer Vyatcheslav Gordeev tells the story so well programme notes are unnecessary, with the magician Drosselmeyer, like an ever present MC, drawing all the threads together as he conjures up a Christmas which Maria (as Clara is called in Russia) will never forget.
In the guise of Santa Claus, he gives her the nutcracker he will later transform into the prince of her dreams and for the first time we know why her nightmare involves attacking mice, as a mice mask is part of the masquerading and merriment at the Christmas party.
Igor Nejni has created fairytale sets which accommodate the many transformation scenes and both they and Tatiana Tulubieva's attractive costumes manage to be colourful without being gaudy. But above all, the dancing is superb.
The company is so strong even the small part soloists have the technique to make the most difficult variations appear easy and in the final pas de deux Andrei Riabov crossed the stage in a series of perfect cabrioles as casually as if he were walking.
Yana Kazantseva was a wonderful Maria, impulsive as a child in Act 1 and delicate as glass in the Sugar Plum variations, while the Russian Trepak, Mother Gigogne with her kitchen boys and the Pas de Trois deservedly evoked cheers. So did the Oriental Dance, an inspired creation which evoked everything from snake charmers to a many limbed and multi headed Hindu goddess.
The National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland (leader Alan Smale) gave the score a festive richness, under the baton of Alexandre Sotnikov, conductor of the Bolshoi, of which Mr Gordeev is artistic director, as well as director general of the Russian State Ballet.
He deserves heartiest congratulations for a brilliant production from a top ranking company.