Swan Lake

Iconic classical ballet choreographed by John Cranko.

Swan Lake is the cornerstone of the ballet world – eternal challenge, pure beauty. It is one of the most famous classical ballets ever and together with the music of P. I. Tchaikovsky it paves the road toward the perfect artistic enterprise.

Will prince Siegfried choose love and stay true to his innocent white swan girl? Or will he forget Odette and follow the requirements of his noble position? After all, foreign princesses can be so charming! It is difficult for him to resist the bewitching black swan Odile supported by the fiendish wizard Rothbart. Rather than a lovestory, this famed fairy tale is a fateful journey of the soul.

Cranko stayed true to the traditional version yet incorporated his typical dramatic talent and original perspective. Moreover, the National Theatre plays an important role in the history of this renowned piece. The first to choreograph the music in Russia was a Czech native, Václav Reisinger (the very first artistic director of the Czech National Ballet), and the second (Czech) choreographer, Augustin Berger, was extremely honoured when, after seeing his staging of Act 2 of Swan Lake in Prague Tchaikovsky said that he had experienced “one minute of absolute happiness”.

This John Cranko choreography is the 13th adaptation of the immortal ballet staged in the National Theatre.

author: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky