Anastasia Soboleva, first soloist, chooses her pointe shoes for practice at Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 20, 2015. For theatregoers in St Petersburg, Nacho Duato's “The Nutcracker” demonstrates the global appeal of a Christmas classic. When the curtain rises at the Mikhailovsky Theatre, among the oldest opera and ballet houses in Russia, it's the culmination of hundreds of hours of toil and sweat by dancers, costume makers, set designers and musicians playing the famous score by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)





Ballet soloist Valeria Zapasnikova (L) and principal dancer Leonid Sarafanov perform during a rehearsal of “The Nutcracker”, choreographed by Nacho Duato, at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 18, 2015. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)





Anastasia Soboleva, first soloist, stretches during practice at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 20, 2015. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)





Ballet soloist Valeria Zapasnikova lies exhausted on the floor during a rehearsal of “The Nutcracker” choreographed by Nacho Duato at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 19, 2015. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)





Ballet dancers perform in front of a portrait of choreographer Nacho Duato during a rehearsal of “The Nutcracker” choreographed by Duato at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 18, 2015. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)





A ballet dancer reacts to the music as she fixes her pointe shoe during a rehearsal of “The Nutcracker” choreographed by Nacho Duato at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 19, 2015. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)





Ballet soloist Valeria Zapasnikova (L) and principal dancer Leonid Sarafanov follow the instructions of repetiteur Zhanna Ayupova during a rehearsal of “The Nutcracker” choreographed by Nacho Duato at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 17, 2015. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)





Ballet soloist Sergey Strelkov performs during a rehearsal of “The Nutcracker” choreographed by Nacho Duato at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 17, 2015. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)





Ballet dancers watch their colleagues leap as they stand in front of a wall decorated with the portrait of choreographer Nacho Duato during a rehearsal of “The Nutcracker” choreographed by Duato at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 18, 2015. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)





Ballet dancer Mario Labrador stretches in a corridor at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 19, 2015. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)





Principal dancer Ivan Zaytsev talks on a phone as he has lunch at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 21, 2015. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)





Ballet soloist Tatiana Miltseva adjusts her pointe shoes as she prepares backstage for a performance of Nacho Duato's “The Nutcracker” at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 21, 2015. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)





A seamstress prepares a costume for Nacho Duato's ballet “The Nutcracker” at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 19, 2015. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)





Ballet soloist Valeria Zapasnikova blows into one of her pointe shoes to warm it up before a rehearsal of “The Nutcracker” choreographed by Nacho Duato at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 20, 2015. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)





A ballet dancer holding a puppet prepares behind the curtain for a performance of Nacho Duato's “The Nutcracker” at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 21, 2015. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)





A ballet dancer puts on her shoes while sitting on a stage behind the curtain before Nacho Duato's “The Nutcracker” at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 21, 2015. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)





An exterior view of the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 25, 2015. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)





People walk up a staircase during the intermission of Nacho Duato's ballet “The Nutcracker” at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 21, 2015. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)





The Mikhailovsky Theatre is seen as final preparations continue for Nacho Duato's “The Nutcracker” in St. Petersburg, Russia November 20, 2015. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)





Ballet dancers stand behind the curtain as they prepare for a performance of Nacho Duato's “The Nutcracker” at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 21, 2015. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)





A ballet dancer stretches backstage during Nacho Duato's “The Nutcracker” at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 21, 2015. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)





Principal dancer Ivan Zaytsev performs in Nacho Duato's “The Nutcracker” at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 21, 2015. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)





Ballet dancers perform in Nacho Duato's “The Nutcracker” at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 20, 2015. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)





Ballet dancers perform in Nacho Duato's “The Nutcracker” at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 21, 2015. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)





Ballet soloist Valeria Zapasnikova (L) and principal dancer Leonid Sarafanov perform in Nacho Duato's “The Nutcracker” at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 20, 2015. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)





Ballet dancers stand behind the curtain as they prepare for a performance of Nacho Duato's “The Nutcracker” at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 20, 2015. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)





A ballet dancer relaxes backstage after a performance of Nacho Duato's “The Nutcracker” at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 21, 2015. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)





A cleaner washes the stage after a performance of Nacho Duato's ballet “The Nutcracker” at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 21, 2015. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)