Nutcracker: Complete Ballet Score
Charles Mackerras is one of the most purely musical and versatile  conductors around. In fact, he's never made a bad record, and thisNutcrackeris outstanding. It also served as the soundtrack to a movie  version of the ballet, and Mackerras's interpretation has a sense of cinematic  spectacle that's very appropriate. He brings superb drama to the action  sequences: the battle with the Mouse King, bustling Christmas scenes at the  opening, and the "transformation" of the Christmas tree. In the second act  (which is where most of the famous Suite comes from), each of the dances is  sharply characterized. In short, a great performance.--David Hurwitz