During the bloody war in Chechnya, a British couple and two Russian soldiers are taken hostage by Chechen rebels. Two of the hostages are then released to bring the money for the British woman who is forced to wait for the ransom.

This acclaimed adaptation of Tchaikovsky's fabled masterwork from Graeme Murphy and the Australian Ballet tells the story of a famous Russian ballerina who immigrates to Australia in the 1940s, only to find a newly tumultuous life awaiting. Noel Smith conducts the State Orchestra of Victoria, and Vicki Attard, Siobhan Elsmann, Steven Heathcote and Dame Margaret Scott star in this 1994 production. Nutcracker was recorded live at the State Theatre, Melbourne, Sep. 22, 1994.