Our wonderful A&R Coordinator – Alice Lombardo – recommends The Nutcracker (released in stereo re-issue in October 2024).
“It’s almost Christmas and it’s the first time I get to choose an album for the pick of the month since starting working at PENTATONE…I could not not choose my beloved Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker! The ballet is very dear to my heart for many reasons, the most important one being that it reminds me of my grandfather, who passed on to me his profound love for classical music and who would be so proud of seeing where I am today. If I close my eyes, I can still see him directing the Orchestra during the Trepak of Act II, as he used to do while listening to his favourite pieces. Moreover, The Nutcracker is for me a pure moment of joy and bliss, a musical space where I can just wander away, into the magical Land of Sweets where everything is as colorful and majestic as Tchaikovsky’s music. Not to mention that it’s universally recognized as a soundtrack for Christmas – my favourite time of the year – and that it has been playing in the background during some of the most special moments of my life. It surely feels like a rite of passage to share my affection towards The Nutcracker with our PENTATONE supporters. And when everything gets too hard and reality feels narrow, just follow the Nutcracker and dance around with the snowflakes!“
Alice Lombardo, A&R Coordinator
