Boston Ballet's The Nutcracker

Forty years and counting - Boston Ballet's annual production of "The Nutcracker" never seems to get old. This beloved harbinger of the holiday season combines first-rate dancing with live music and lavish design. Bring on the magic. Karen Campbell, Globe Correspondent

We're intrigued by the newly restored orchestra pit at the Boston Opera House. What exactly is a restored pit? Check it out when you visit with Clara and her friends at Boston Ballet's "The Nutcracker," which dances above the aforementioned orchestra pit for a month. The 40-year-plus tradition features more than 250 kids from the Boston Ballet School who will help tell the E.T.A. Hoffmann-based story about Clara's adventures with her Nutcracker. June Wulff, Globe Staff