Nutcracker in Zagreb, Rijeka and Opatija: 7 shows on sale

On 7 November the HNK Zagreb schedule showed "Rasprodano", sold out, for all 19 dates of its own Nutcracker. The UCB Ballet tour is a separate production with separate ticket sales. The promoter Art Partner brings it to Rijeka and Opatija, while in Zagreb the Lisinski hall sells the tickets itself. Lisinski now has four shows on two days. The first had already sold out by mid-October (Novi list).

Dates, prices and status

In Rijeka category 1 costs 60 euros, category 2 costs 52 euros, category 3 costs 45 euros, category 4 costs 39 euros and category 5 costs 30 euros (Mojekarte). Opatija has eight categories from 55 down to 30 euros (Mojekarte). Mojekarte adds a processing fee of 1 euro per ticket. The Lisinski page gives the VIP price of 66 euros, and its text leaves out the other categories. By 7 November we had found no dates on this tour for Osijek, Split or other cities.

Buying tickets in Zagreb, Rijeka and Opatija

• Zagreb: online only through lisinski.hr, and reservations are not possible. The box office at Trg Stjepana Radića 4 opens on Mondays from 13:00 to 20:00 and Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 to 20:00, with short breaks, and at weekends one hour before the programme starts. Phone +385 1 6121 166, weekdays from 13:00 to 16:00.
• Rijeka: online from Mojekarte and at physical sales points (Novi list).
• Opatija: online from Mojekarte, at authorised sales points and at the Festival Opatija office by the summer stage, weekdays from 8:00 to 15:00, cash only (Festival Opatija).

Lisinski only takes tickets back if a programme is cancelled. Refunds are made within 60 days at the point of purchase. People with disabilities get 30 per cent off at the Lisinski box office on showing their card, and a companion enters free.

VIP tickets at Lisinski: 66 euros

VIP ticket holders meet the artists after the show in the foyer of the Great Hall, with a glass of champagne and live music. Each gets a small gift. Children have their own corner where the story of the Nutcracker is read aloud (Lisinski).

UCB Ballet and the Nutcracker at HNK Zagreb

Novi list describes UCB as a Ukrainian classical ballet with an international cast. The company reports several hundred shows over the last three seasons and more than 50,000 spectators last year on two parallel European tours (Mojekarte). According to Lisinski the soloists come from leading European theatres. Last year's shows in Rijeka sold out (Novi list). HNK Zagreb screens its own performance free on a big screen outside the theatre on 19 December at 18:00 (full details).

Getting there and finishing times

At about 110 minutes, a 16:00 show ends at around 17:50 and a 20:00 show at around 21:50. Lisinski stands at Trg Stjepana Radića 4 in Zagreb, and according to OpenStreetMap trams 3, 5, 13 and 33 serve the Lisinski stop. From Zagreb it is about 160 kilometres to Rijeka on the A6, roughly two hours, and about 175 kilometres to Opatija, roughly two and a half hours. Autotrolej bus 32 covers the 15 kilometres between Rijeka and Opatija.

From 15 November the winter equipment rules apply, which matters most in Gorski kotar. Ramps 3 and 4 at the Matulji junction are scheduled to stay closed until 12 December, a period that covers the shows in Rijeka and Opatija on 6, 7 and 8 December (detours).

Pairing the shows with Advent

Sunday 6 December is the second Sunday of Advent, 13 December the third and 20 December the fourth. In Rijeka the HNK is close to Advent on the Korzo, which runs until 10 January, as does Advent in Opatija. In Zagreb the third Advent weekend fits best: on Friday 11 December Lang Lang plays the same hall, alongside Advent in Zagreb. Travel and places to stay are in our Advent weekend guide.