Swan Lake

photo by Gene Schiavone

Music	Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky
Choreography	Mikko Nissinen after Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov
Premiere Date	Imperial Ballet, Maryinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg, Russia, February 8, 1985
Costumes	John Conklin
Lighting	Alexander V. Nichols
ScenicDesigner	Peter Cazalet
Run Time	2 hours and 30 minutes
Nissinen’s version of Swan Lake premiered in 2004 and was called “a must-see” by Christine Temin in The Boston Globe. Based upon the version performed in St. Petersburg in 1895, Nissinen staged the ballet with the goal of returning it to its original roots. The production features music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, choreography by Mikko Nissinen after Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, set design by Peter Cazalet, and costume design by John Conklin. Swan Lake is unique for its abundance of dance styles within the ballet’s four acts. Classical ballet, the stylized movements of the swans in Acts II and IV, and the character dances from foreign lands in Act III all eloquently narrate the romantic tale of Siegfried and his quest for true love. One of the most beautiful roles for a female dancer is the dual role of Odette/Odile. A ballerina must exhibit characteristics of the lyrical White Swan, Odette, and the wicked Black Swan, Odile; the role is typically performed by the same dancer.