Swan Lake was first performed on 4th March 1877, at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. The choreography was by Julius Reisinger, and it wasn’t well received – although Tchaikovsky was given tepid praise for his score from a handful of critics. With a scenario based on German and Russian folktales, its first incarnation was in two acts. The ballet was later revived by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov in January of 1895, shortly after Tchaikovsky’s death. It is this version that has inspired so many choreographers to create their own productions in the years since.
Sir Peter Wright’s Swan Lake was first performed at Sadler’s Wells on 27th November 1981, by the Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet (now Birmingham Royal Ballet). Since its premiere it has been an unequivocal success. This year, the company has embarked on a UK tour that runs until 1st April 2023. Birmingham Royal Ballet presents a roster of excellent casts, and will include guest performances by Polina Semionova (Staatsballett Berlin) in Birmingham and Vadim Muntagirov (The Royal Ballet) in Plymouth.
Here are just a few reasons why this production is unmissable:
Act 1 of Swan Lake features some very challenging solo work, as well as a waltz (pictured above) for four couples – one of the most exhilarating dances to watch and perform. This is partly due to the music, which builds to a thrilling crescendo.
The white acts (pictured above) are mesmerising for the audience, but they are among the most taxing for the dancers. This applies to the corps de ballet, the soloist swans and the two principal dancers. Whichever role you are dancing, you are part of the whole. A mistake in the corps de ballet is glaringly obvious because the mass of swans must move as one. Stamina is a pre-requisite for everyone on stage.
Philip Prowse has designed magnificent sets and costumes, admired for more than forty years. In Act 3, the splendour of the palace setting is shown in the richness and texture of the costumes (pictured above). The Master of Ceremonies’ cloak is one of the heaviest, having its own wicker skip for storage and weighing almost 40 kg. The princesses, who try to beguile Prince Siegfried in order to win his hand in marriage, are required to execute fiendishly difficult solos, whilst negotiating the “pull” and “counter-pull” of their heavy skirts during speedy pirouettes.
Act 3 depicts the famous Black Swan pas de deux (pictured above), in which Odile seduces Prince Siegfried and convinces him that she is in fact Odette, his great love. The pas de deux is often danced at galas, on its own, but in context the duet offers audiences fireworks, central to the technical and emotional intensity of this act.
The princesses in Act 3 are accompanied by their compatriots who present the character dances from their home countries. From Hungary comes the Czardas (pictured above), the Neapolitan from Italy, and Mazurka from Poland.
The final act of Swan Lake is marked by tragedy, although there are variations to the many productions staged around the world. Odette has been betrayed by Siegfried, albeit through the machinations of a wicked sorcerer. She is broken hearted (pictured above) but in this version, we are given to understand that the main protagonists are united in a spiritual world.
Act 4 contains some of Tchaikovsky’s most dramatic and moving music. With a live orchestra, this is the moment when the swans feel collectively empowered, as the score dictates. It’s the culmination of a huge amount of hard work and commitment from the entire company – on stage, in the pit and backstage – and one that almost always pre-empts a desire to see Swan Lake again.
Swan Lake tours to Birmingham, Salford, Sunderland, Plymouth and Edinburgh. See Birmingham Royal Ballet’s upcoming performances here.
