The Nutcracker - Sugar Plum pas de deux: Adagio (Nuñez, Muntagirov, The Royal Ballet) 

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Everyone's talking about the ballet dancing but few know really that Tchaikovsky wrote this melody as he imagined his late sister dancing, who he had just lost to illness right before he came back to russia and composed this

Am I the only person who watches ballet and want to do it but can't because they're already to old to start classes but still watches it because if how grateful and beautiful it is.....just me...okay.

Everytime Marianela smiles, seems like she's having the happiest moment of her entire life. It's so refreshing to watch her.

Dude. They look EXACTLY like the jewelry box classic paintings of ballet. Marianela looks JUST like a ballerina in a music box here! These two are absolutely gorgeous! I love them so much!

Ballet is so overlooked!! People don’t realize she has trained her entire life in order to be able to do that and make it look effortless!! The man as well! He has to lift a full grown woman in the air effortlessly!

Obviously their dancing is amazing, but besides that their heights are very nice and really compliment each other. Their costumes are just gorgeous and their expressions are perfect throughout the entire performance. These ‘little things’ seem not as important, but they really take a performance to the next level and get the audience to believe the story they are telling

I cry every time I hear this performed live. I always thought this was about people saying good bye forever, like they’d never see each other again. Then I learned Tchaikovsky wrote this right after the death of his sister Alexandra. 😭 😭 😭 so beautiful and sad and uplifting at the same time.

Their body alignments and attention to detail is impeccable

She has so much joy and warmth in her interpretation. And he's a wonderful partner. Superb.

5:28 that little smile towards Clara before turning. she's so cute and perfect gaaaahhh

Can we all take a moment to appreciate the elegant effortlessness of Vadim’s lifts, particularly at 3:53, 4:03 and 4:52? His technique is faultless.

6 minutes on pointe !!!! Only ballerinas know how painful is this and how hardly did she work to be that smooth on the stage !!! Respect for both of them

How she raises her head EXACTLY with the music at 5:40. #sublime

I legit found this by typing: 'ballet music paaaaa paa daaa paadaaaaa padadaaaaaa paaadaaaa paaaadadaaaa paadapaaadadaaa'

their synchronization at 3:15 always give me goosebumps

At 90 I am still enjoying these old videos & wish I could be there!!

The 180° angle between his left leg and her lifted leg so so gorgeous at 2:12

This is just wonderful, I've seen plenty of other couples do it on stage/film and in rehearsal, but Vadim and Marianela take it a step further, there are so many places when a subtle head angle difference or the way an arm is moved that lifts the whole performance to a different level. It's the first time I've seen the Cavalier look like he's in love with the Sugar Plum Fairy, but not in a way that makes it overly romantic or outside the story line. Just lovely!

A wonderful performance and almost certainly Tchaikovsky's most beautiful and emotionally-charged piece of music he had ever written.

Everytime I rewatch this it gets more beautiful. It might not have the most dazzling choreography, but the way Marianela and Vadim dance this choreography elevates it to a new level. The musicality on the lifts and especially at the end is fantastic. You could freeze the video at any point and get a picture perfect moment. Thank you Royal Opera House for sharing this video and thank you Marianela and Vadim for sharing your talent.

As a figure skater, I’ve never really appreciated what’s influenced my sport the most - ballet - until recently. And, I’ll add, ballet is wayyyy more impressive (from my perspective) than figure skating, at least artistically. This Pas de Deux is absolutely stunning, too!

3:51 When it hits that part I always wanna cry. The ending to this part is always so beautiful, the music and the dance.

this is everything to me she is so perfect

Impeccable! I always cry at the end. The music is just so beautiful.

She is FLAWLESS ! You can definitely see the superb training, experience and controlled grace of both these dancers in this beautiful pas de deux. Especially the prima.

Marianela's musicality 😍😍😍

As always, the tilt of her head, the expression in her eyes, the smile of wonder, are beyond perfection. And he's loving it.

Marianela and Vadim: a match made in heaven. One of ballet's most superlative couples. Both have exquisite technique, grace, timing and intuitive interpretation. Magical.

I can’t believe they added glittery hair to the Sugar Plum. It really looks nice

this made me cry, they are amazing

I've just 'discovered' this beautiful art at 79 years old

this is my favourite pax de deux of any ballet... it reduces me to tears everytime.....I remember one afternoon at the Royal opera house, sitting next to a very old lady who said she was an ex-dancer at ROH.. we both cried watching this...

Nela is a universal treasure. She is Grace, she is joy... And Vadim is extremely talented, they make a great pair! One of my favourites, along with McRae and Lamb.

OMG you have FINALLY uploaded this!! You have no idea how long I have waited for this pas de deux to appear on your channel! Best present ever opened on a Boxing Day so far!!!! THANK YOU!!!!! 😍😍😍

This song has such bitterness to its sweetness. Like getting to say goodbye to someone you shouldn't be able to, but for the last time. As if knowing you won't ever see them again.

My cousin has been dancing ballet since she was five years old. Every Christmas, the dance theater she performs at puts on a performance of the Nutcracker. My cousin went from playing one of the little girls at the opening party scene to playing the Sugar Plum Fairy in a span of 13 years. I’m so proud of her!

I mentally complimented her every second from the beginning till the end...

most beautiful version of this adagio i have ever seen !

She is electric while she moves. Her smile is so genuine. You can truly tell there is no place she'd rather be in that moment. And he is such a great partner showcasing her. ugh I love the Royal Ballet.

This has got to be one of my favourite video ever on youtube. I've lost count the amount of time I've come back to this masterpiece. Please don't ever delete this video!❤

She is beauty, she is grace, she has so much power, she can kick you in the face. (and it would hurt. REALLY BAD)

She elongates every movement with the music so beautifully. Her head and smile even. Wow! So satisfying to watch!

Something about Tchaikovsky’s music is just so captivating and the ballet dancers just are phenomenal in dancing to his music. What a fantastic performance for the dancers, to be so greatly honors to dance a duet to one of Tchaikovsky’s most meaningful piece of music.

Going to see The Nutcracker this year. I can't wait.

They are both amazing but that lift at 3.51 is incredible!

When everybody commented how beautiful the dance is... I feel like crying because i can imagine how hurt it must feel to dance this and im not even a dancer. Mad respect for people who do ballets.

The way her leg extension goes up with the music at 1:43 just AAAAAAHHHHHH SO BEAUTIFUL

One of the most beautiful things I've seen in my whole life.

this is so beautiful. this has to be my absolute favorite version of this duet. everything from the costumes, the set, the choreography, and especially the dancers are all so ethereal. and the dancers chemistry is insane 😭❤️❤️

Saw this performed live and it was my favorite part of the entire nutcracker performance, partially because of the music.

So wonderful to see both male & female dancers that are elegant, strong, beautiful & amazing executioners of these moves! Thank you

This is my favourite, like ballet anything

I know the ballerina is usually the one in the spotlight but that man is so beautiful I couldn’t stop staring at him. Truly a prince if I ever did see one 😭 Side note, I love how you can see they’re having so much fun by the way they kept smiling at each other near the middle. Their joy was so infectious I couldn’t stop smiling watching this either

😮I just recently discovered this as a dear friend had this playing in the background of her Instagram reel. It was so incredibly moving especially as she related to her third successful triumph over cancer. 😂

everything about this is so aesthetically pleasing...

As a former dancer in Indiana, NYC and Boston, to make extra money I taught so many jazz and ballet dance classes. My favorite classes to teach were "jazz classes for pregnant women" and "basic ballet for adults who want to give it a try". The classes were tailor made for body restrictions such as lack of flexibility, strength, etc... It was great fun to see 20-30 pregnant women dance around laughing and having a great time while getting exercise. It is a proven fact that deliveries of babies are go much better when the mothers are in good and healthy shape. As for the ballet classes, well lets face it, ballet is damn hard, but I made it so basic with out loosing the discipline or beauty of this art form. The bar was a true ballet bar with tons of personals modifications...I ran around the class like a crazy man helping "students". There were even "students" that did the whole bar and the combination in a chair....yes it can be done. The true gratification came when the ballet class would do the one combination. I would choreograph an easy combination to the greatest ballet music with tons of port de bras (arm movements), simple leg movements, maybe a little jump (optional) with lots of acting and attitude. These classes always ended in tears of joy and happiness, myself included. People that thought they could never do ballet actually did it. It's a shame that these kinds of classes are not offered at many dance studios if any. but you can do it! I push my furniture out of the way as much as I can and move around to the most glorious ballet music. Right now it's "Nutcracker" season and my favorite dance is "Waltz of the Flowers". Put on a RU-vid selection and give it a try! You can do it!

Watching this makes me cry happy tears😭❤️

I never comprehended what a "Prima Ballerina" was until....until...until I saw her!!!

I wanna cry. My love for ballet is undescribable

why am i crying this is so beautiful

The most beautiful music I've ever heard in my life so far. The gods must weep when they hear this beautiful melody. This is the pinnacle of human creation.❤

She is so pretty😭😭 and both of them are gorgeous and wow i'm speechless with this beautiful performance🥺💖

I’m a nutcracker ballet fanatic. This was executed with such grace and perfection! Beautiful!

This has to be the most beautiful things my eyes have seen, I'm so moved

Vadim Muntagirov is such a stunning, thoughtful partner, so delicate and gentle with whomever he dances with.

When I was small this song always made me cry when my Mother played the record. I still feel why somehow. It is so overwhelming. Somehow tragic. Where are they all now who enjoyed these records back then. Incredible how fast a life runs.

My god the music in this is so heavenly 😭♥️

Love this, went to see the nutcracker last week with my sister, the time came for the Pas de deux, not a single whisper from the audience was heard as the two danced on the stage and the music played. It was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever experienced. What made it more moving was the story behind this specific pas de deux and I having my sister sitting next to me knowing how much she means to me and knowing Tchaikovsky wrote it inspired by the death of his sister Aleksandra I could only imagine the anguish he must have felt as he composed this I could only imagine Tchaikovsky and his sister dancing on the stage.😢

Impossible to hold the tears

This is the most beautiful adage in all ballet, even considering when you have The Merry Widow’s adage and Spartacus’s adage. The Sugar Plum Fairy pas des deux adage is such a hauntingly beautiful melody, and the historical background of its composition makes it even more heartfelt and heartbreaking: Tchaikovsky was in mourning for his sister when he wrote this piece. At the Bolshoi, the dancers never smile during this performance because they know what’s behind that, but Marianela’s smile is so infectious and it lights up the entire stage, her dancing is so effortlessly perfect, her charisma is unmatched, it only gives the performance more depth. Vadim’s technique only compliments hers, he’s a beautiful dancer and so smooth.

the most beautiful thing i've ever seen. i've never cried this much for finding something so beautiful

this is one of the most soft and beautiful things I have seen in my entire life

I love ballet i'm a dancer and wen i'm dancing i feel what i'm dancing what i'm doing and sometimes cry..❤❤❤❤

This is so beautiful and elegant. I can't stop listening to the music, all the pain, so dramatic and strong, every time I hear Thaikovsky's music I feel like crying.

The beauty of this ballet is eternal; a true jewel of art. If, by some miracle, human beings are still around in 1000 years, this ballet will still be danced.

This is great, I cry everytime I watch this

These two remarkable dancers are perfect together. They both illuminate the stage with the true love of dance. This is so seldom seen, but when it is (as in this exquisite pas de deux), it guarantees goosebumps. So, so beautiful, you’ve made my Christmas. Thank you! 🎄

This is a performance for the ages. I've always loved the music even as a child, but seeing this magical production just fills my heart with sheer JOY. I've watched the ballet, with multiple casts, SO many times over the years. My thanks to the many talented performers but also to the incredible team behind the scenes - from the brilliant costumers to the set designers and special effects crew. You create magic.

I wish more people knew the pain ballerinas endure to participate in this dance. Look at thier feet. A whole different level of respect.

Questo è il passo a due più bello dell'opera: la musica è talmente bella da essere struggente. Mountagirov è bravissimo e aggraziato, come deve essere il personaggio, Marianela Nunez è una ballerina straordinaria, perfetta ed empatica. Mi piaccionio moltissimo entrambi.

Vadim and Marianela, magical.

ballet is my favourite dance form omg love it. The most beautiful and elegant of all !

This pas de deux will always be one of my favorites! Its just so timeless!!!

I love the way that they smile when they dance, it shows how much they love dancing ballet. My favourite scene in "The Nutcracker"!

Tchaikovsky's music is so dramatic and full of passion, I wish someone can come up with a better choreography for this. I think the dancers are beautiful and they’re obviously better than I could ever be, but it’s just a thought that I had.

Best partnership in the Royal Ballet.

This version is so good - they are dancing together, with choreography aligning with the music. And they are complimenting and not one of them over powering the other. I can’t help but to watch it all the time. Wonderful!

One of the few things I must do in this lifetime: see Marianela Nuñez on stage!

The costumes and stage set up is the most beautiful I’ve seen for this ballet

This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my life 🥰

Est-il normal si je pleure chaque fois que je vois ce ballet? 🥺❤

Goosebumps all over. This is true art.

this was the longest 6 minutes ive ever experienced. the music and dancing was all so flawlessly beautiful and spectacular that i was spellbound and couldn't look away!

Ballet is NOT for the weak 😭😭 my knees and ankles could never.

how marianela can have an amazing chemistry with EVERYBODY she works with??

They make this look so easy but everyone who's doing gymnastics knows exactly how hard for example a high leg hold is for only a few seconds and she can do it for an extended period of time without any support. It's insane what the human body can be capable of. Gives me goosebumps to watch them dance.

I’ve watched this so many times and each time it moves me deeply. So classic and faultless yet at the same time, it touches the soul and evokes ecstasy and sadness all at once. The best pas de deux ever, no other dancers compare. Simply perfection

I absolutely love how there's glitter EVERYWHERE (Even their hair.) and how it flies off of them when they move!✨💕💕💕💕

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is simply Perfection!!! Marianela & Vladim 🤩🤩🤩