A look at the roles of the principal dancers and the corps de ballet in The Royal Ballet's Swan Lake.
Swan
Lake was Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky's first score for ballet. Its 1877
premiere was poorly received, but it has since become one of the most
loved of all ballets. The twinned role of the radiant White Swan and the
scheming, duplicitous Black Swan tests the full range of a ballerina's
powers, particularly in the two great pas de deux of Acts II and III.
Other highlights include the charming Dance of the Little Swans
performed by a moonlit lake and sweeping ballroom waltzes in the
splendour of the royal palace.
Anthony Dowell's glorious
interpretation uses classical choreography created by Lev Ivanov and
Marius Petipa for the ballet's revised 1895 version. Dramatic costumes
emphasize the contrast between human and spirit worlds, while glowing
lanterns, shimmering fabrics and designs inspired by the work of Peter
Carl Fabergé create a magical setting.
Swan
Lake was Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky's first score for ballet. Its 1877
premiere was poorly received, but it has since become one of the most
loved of all ballets. The twinned role of the radiant White Swan and the
scheming, duplicitous Black Swan tests the full range of a ballerina's
powers, particularly in the two great pas de deux of Acts II and III.
Other highlights include the charming Dance of the Little Swans
performed by a moonlit lake and sweeping ballroom waltzes in the
splendour of the royal palace.
Anthony Dowell's glorious
interpretation uses classical choreography created by Lev Ivanov and
Marius Petipa for the ballet's revised 1895 version. Dramatic costumes
emphasize the contrast between human and spirit worlds, while glowing
lanterns, shimmering fabrics and designs inspired by the work of Peter
Carl Fabergé create a magical setting.
