Photo: Liza Voll

The holiday season hasn’t officially begun in the Hub until the Boston Ballet’s grand production of The Nutcracker makes its annual debut. Re-imagined by Boston Ballet artistic director Mikko Nissinen in 2012, this version of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s fable about a magical Christmas in the household of youngsters Clara and Fritz has been embraced by both audiences and critics. Running at the Boston Opera House November 24–December 31 and punctuated by masterful dancing, gorgeous costumes and vibrant sets—not to mention the timeless Tchaikovsky soundtrack and the addition of more than 240 children from the Boston Ballet School to the cast—this Nutcracker is sure to once again delight young and old alike.