Filmed in the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg where the ballet was first performed in 1892. The production, by world-renowned avant-garde artist Mikhail Shemiakin, is a more mature, "adult" version of The Nutcracker, highlighting many of the darker themes. The eye-catching costumes and scenery help create the surreal atmosphere. The dancing, led by Leonid Sarafanov and Irina Golub, is of the highest quality and displays the very distinctive and exacting qualities of the Mariinsky Theatre. Valery Gergiev conducts the complete, un-cut version of Tchaikovsky's most popular score. With an image up to six times sharper than conventional DVD and superior high-definition sound, Blu-Ray lets you watch opera and ballet performances from the front row of the theater. Experience every detail, no matter how small, in the highest quality possible. With five times the memory of standard DVDs, Blu-Ray is a completely new way to experience the theater at home.