Swan Lake

The Music Center. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles, USA

Scene 11 from the ballet "Swan Lake", photo 2

Scene 12 from the ballet "Swan Lake", photo 3

Scene 1 from the ballet "Swan Lake", photo 4

Scene 3 from the ballet "Swan Lake", photo 5

Scene 4 from the ballet "Swan Lake", photo 6

Scene 5 from the ballet "Swan Lake", photo 7

Scene 6 from the ballet "Swan Lake", photo 8

Scene 7 from the ballet "Swan Lake", photo 9

Scene 8 from the ballet "Swan Lake", photo 10

Scene 9 from the ballet "Swan Lake", photo 11

Scene 10 from the ballet "Swan Lake", photo 12

All photos (12)

Select date and time

Thursday 26 June 2025

7:30 PM

From

US$ 96

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Ticket delivery: E-Tickets

E-tickets: Print at home or at the box office of the event if so specified. You will find more information in your booking confirmation email.

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You can only select the category, and not the exact seats.
If you order 2 or 3 tickets: your seats will be next to each other.
If you order 4 or more tickets: your seats will be next to each other, or, if this is not possible, we will provide a combination of groups of seats (at least in pairs, for example 2+2 or 2+3).

Important Info

Type: Ballet

City: Los Angeles, USA

Starts at: 19:30

Intervals: 1

Duration: 2h 35min

Ticket delivery: E-Tickets

E-tickets: Print at home or at the box office of the event if so specified. You will find more information in your booking confirmation email.

Can I choose my seats?

Cast

Performers

Ballet company: Boston Ballet

Orchestra: Boston Ballet Orchestra

Creators

Composer: Pyotr Tchaikovsky

Choreographer: Lev Ivanov

Choreographer: Marius Petipa

Choreographer: Mikko Nissinen

Overview

Step into the enchanting world of Swan Lake, a masterpiece of classical ballet that has mesmerized audiences for generations with exquisite dancing, enchanting music and a timeless tale of love and loss. Boston Ballet Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen’s exquisite production follows the Swan Queen Odette and Prince Siegfried in a tale of romance, sorcery and deceit. The second act, originally choreographed by Lev Ivanov, is historically considered the finest piece of classical choreography for the corps de ballet. The production showcases the technical precision and emotional tonality of dozens of dancers, brilliantly transformed by Robert Perdziola’s impeccable costume design and set to the timeless score by Tchaikovsky. Since 1963, Boston Ballet’s internationally acclaimed performances of classical, neo-classical and contemporary ballets, combined with a dedication to world-class dance education and community initiatives, have made the institution a leader in its field, with a 61-year history of promoting excellence and access to dance.

Exquisite dancing, enchanting music, and a timeless tale of love and loss.

The Story
Swan Lake is a timeless story of love, betrayal, and sacrifice. On a hunting trip, Prince Siegfried discovers Odette, a woman who was captured and transformed into a white swan. Struck by her beauty, he vows eternal love, unaware that her captor Von Rothbart has been watching them. Von Rothbart has cast a spell on Odette that can only be broken by her one true love. To prevent the couple from breaking the spell, he tricks Prince Siegfried into declaring his love for his daughter Odile. Believing that Odette has come to him in masquerade, the prince happily selects Odile as his bride and unwillingly breaks his vow to Odette, dooming her to remain a swan forever. In the final act, a heartbroken Odette and regretful Siegfried reunite and destroy the evil sorcerer, but the spell cannot be undone.

The Dancing
Renowned as a masterpiece, Swan Lake enthralls audiences with its coveted principal roles and iconic corps de ballet.The second act, originally choreographed by Lev Ivanov, is historically considered the finest piece of classical choreography for the corps de ballet. Revel in the technical precision and emotional tonality of dozens of dancers, brilliantly transformed by Robert Perdziola’s incomparable scenery and costume design.

“Swan Lake is one of the world’s most iconic and beloved classical ballets. This production showcases the depth of talent within our Company, from the principal roles to the precision of the iconic corps de ballet scenes. The second act is one of the greatest pieces of corps de ballet choreography. It’s absolutely brilliant. One huge spectacle.”
Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen

The Music
Audiences will fall in love all over again with P.I. Tchaikovsky’s masterful score. Boston Ballet’s Music Director Mischa Santora has elevated the Boston Ballet Orchestra, the second largest musical organization in New England, to new heights.

“Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen and company’s adaption of Tchaikovsky’s pièce de résistance dazzles audiences with stunning audiovisuals, from the always-impressive athleticism of the dancers, to the instantly recognizable music, to the gorgeous sets and costumes…”
Yiqing Shao, Boston Magazine

The History
The original production premiered in 1877 with choreography by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov. Nissinen added a prologue that depicts the abduction of Odette and the beginning of Von Rothbart’s curse transforming her into a swan. Nissinen collaborated with award-winning designer Robert Perdziola to create the sets and costumes inspired by the late Gothic and early Renaissance period.

“[Nissinen’s] Swan Lake is one of the most beloved ballets in the classical canon, filled with romance, sorcery, transformation, and sacrifice, not to mention lush, virtuosic choreography for corps and principals alike.”
Karen Campbell, The Boston Globe

Please Note: The music in some ballets may be loud depending on where you are sitting and your own comfort level. Please plan accordingly.

Although Swan Lake is presented in many different versions, most ballet companies base their stagings both choreographically and musically on the 1895 revival of Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, first staged for the Imperial Ballet on 15 January 1895, at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. For this revival, Tchaikovsky's score was revised by the St. Petersburg Imperial Theatre's chief conductor and composer Riccardo Drigo.

During the late 1880s and early 1890s, Petipa and Vsevolozhsky discussed with Tchaikovsky the possibility of reviving Swan Lake. However, Tchaikovsky died on 6 November 1893, just when plans to revive Swan Lake were beginning to come to fruition. It remains uncertain whether Tchaikovsky was prepared to revise the music for this revival. Whatever the case, as a result of Tchaikovsky's death, Drigo was forced to revise the score himself, after receiving approval from Tchaikovsky's younger brother, Modest. There are major differences between Drigo's and Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake score. Today, it is Riccardo Drigo's revision of Tchaikovsky's score, and not Tchaikovsky's original score of 1877, that most ballet companies use.

In February 1894, two memorial concerts planned by Vsevolozhsky were given in honor of Tchaikovsky. The production included the second act of Swan Lake, choreographed by Lev Ivanov, Second Balletmaster to the Imperial Ballet. Ivanov's choreography for the memorial concert was unanimously hailed as wonderful.

The revival of Swan Lake was planned for Pierina Legnani's benefit performance in the 1894–1895 season. The death of Tsar Alexander III on 1 November 1894 and the ensuing period of official mourning brought all ballet performances and rehearsals to a close for some time, and as a result all efforts could be concentrated on the pre-production of the full revival of Swan Lake. Ivanov and Petipa collaborated on the production, with Ivanov retaining his dances for the second act while choreographing the fourth, with Petipa staging the first and third acts.

Modest Tchaikovsky was called upon to make changes to the ballet's libretto, including the character of Odette changing from a fairy swan-maiden into a cursed mortal woman, the ballet's villain changing from Odette's stepmother to the magician von Rothbart, and the ballet's finale: instead of the lovers simply drowning at the hand of Odette's stepmother as in the original 1877 scenario, Odette commits suicide by drowning herself, with Prince Siegfried choosing to die as well, rather than live without her, and soon the lovers' spirits are reunited in an apotheosis. Aside from the revision of the libretto the ballet was changed from four acts to three—with act 2 becoming act 1, scene 2.

All was ready by the beginning of 1895 and the ballet had its première on Friday, 27 January. Pierina Legnani danced Odette/Odile, with Pavel Gerdt as Prince Siegfried, Alexei Bulgakov as Rothbart, and Alexander Oblakov as Benno. Most of the reviews in the St. Petersburg newspapers were positive.

History

Premiere of this production: 04 March 1877, Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow

Swan Lake is a ballet composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1875–76. Despite its initial failure, it is now one of the most popular of all ballets. Swan Lake is the ballet which embodies the soul of Russian art. The combination of brilliant music and choreography creates a special kind of magic; what the great 20th century choreographer George Balanchine had in mind when he famously said, “One should call every ballet Swan Lake because then people would come.”

Synopsis

Swan Lake is generally presented in either four acts, four scenes (primarily outside Russia and Eastern Europe) or three acts, four scenes (primarily in Russia and Eastern Europe). The biggest difference of productions all over the world is that the ending, originally tragic, is now sometimes altered to a happy ending.

Prologue
Some productions include a prologue that shows how Odette first meets Rothbart, who turns Odette into a swan.

Act 1

A magnificent park before a palace

[Scène: Allegro giusto] Prince Siegfried is celebrating his birthday with his tutor, friends and peasants [Waltz]. The revelries are interrupted by Siegfried's mother, the Queen [Scène: Allegro moderato], who is concerned about her son's carefree lifestyle. She tells him that he must choose a bride at the royal ball the following evening (some productions include the presentation of some possible candidates). Siegfried is upset that he cannot marry for love. His friend Benno and the tutor try to lift his troubled mood. As evening falls [Sujet], Benno sees a flock of swans flying overhead and suggests they go on a hunt [Finale I]. Siegfried and his friends take their crossbows and set off in pursuit of the swans.

Act 2

A lakeside clearing in a forest by the ruins of a chapel. A moonlit night.

The "Valse des cygnes" from act 2 of the Ivanov/Petipa edition of Swan Lake
Siegfried has become separated from his friends. He arrives at the lakeside clearing, just as a flock of swans land [Scène. Moderato]. He aims his crossbow [Scène. Allegro moderato], but freezes when one of them transforms into a beautiful maiden, Odette [Scène. Moderato]. At first, she is terrified of Siegfried. When he promises not to harm her, she explains she and her companions are victims of a spell cast by the evil owl-like sorcerer Rothbart. By day they are turned into swans and only at night, by the side of the enchanted lake – created from the tears of Odette's mother – do they return to human form. The spell can only be broken if one who has never loved before swears to love Odette forever. Rothbart suddenly appears [Scène. Allegro vivo]. Siegfried threatens to kill him but Odette intercedes – if Rothbart dies before the spell is broken, it can never be undone.

As Rothbart disappears, the swan maidens fill the clearing [Scène: Allegro, Moderato assai quasi andante]. Siegfried breaks his crossbow, and sets about winning Odette's trust as the two fall in love. But as dawn arrives, the evil spell draws Odette and her companions back to the lake and they are turned into swans again.

Act 3

An opulent hall in the palace

Guests arrive at the palace for a costume ball. Six princesses are presented to the prince [Entrance of the Guests and Waltz], as candidates for marriage. Rothbart arrives in disguise [Scène: Allegro, Allegro giusto] with his daughter, Odile, who is transformed to look like Odette. Though the princesses try to attract the prince with their dances [Pas de six], Siegfried has eyes only for Odile. [Scène: Allegro, Tempo di valse, Allegro vivo] Odette appears (usually at the castle window) and attempts to warn Siegfried, but he does not see her. He then proclaims to the court that he will marry "Odette" (Odile) before Rothbart shows him a magical vision of Odette. Grief-stricken and realizing his mistake, Siegfried hurries back to the lake.

Act 4

By the lakeside

Odette is distraught. The swan-maidens try to comfort her. Siegfried returns to the lake and makes a passionate apology. She forgives him, but his betrayal cannot be undone. Rather than remain a swan forever, Odette chooses to die. Siegfried chooses to die with her and they leap into the lake. This breaks Rothbart's spell over the swan maidens, causing him to lose his power over them and he dies. In an apotheosis, the swan maidens watch as Siegfried and Odette ascend into the Heavens together, forever united in love.

Venue Info

The Music Center. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion - Los Angeles
135 N. Grand Avenue, 90012

As one of the nation’s largest performing arts centers, and as a cultural anchor in Los Angeles County, The Music Center convenes artists, communities and ideas with the goal of enriching the cultural lives of every resident.

With America’s most diverse population, Los Angeles is the cultural hub of the country and the location for more entertainment options and venues than anywhere else in the U.S. As one of the nation’s largest performing arts centers, and as a cultural anchor in Los Angeles County, The Music Center brings together artists, communities and ideas with the goal of enriching the cultural lives of every Angeleno. With our vision, The Music Center is poised to become a multidisciplinary arts center for the 21st century and a driving artistic voice for diversity and inclusion that reflects and responds to the ever-evolving landscape of Los Angeles. By offering compelling cultural and civic programs that are relevant to a wide range of audiences, The Music Center is both the home and the force behind some of the greatest creative expression today.

The non-profit Music Center organization has three divisions: TMC Arts, TMC Ops and TMC Business Services. TMC Arts, The Music Center’s programming engine, provides year-round programming inside our four theatres, on Jerry Moss Plaza, outside at Grand Park—a 12-acre adjacent green space—in schools and neighborhoods all over Los Angeles County and on a variety of digital platforms. TMC Arts also has a comprehensive K-12 arts learning program. TMC Ops manages The Music Center’s four theatres, Jerry Moss Plaza and Grand Park on behalf of the County of Los Angeles, while TMC Business Resources includes services provided by our Advancement, Finance and Marketing and Communications teams. The Music Center has four renowned resident companies—Center Theatre Group, Los Angeles Master Chorale, LA Opera and LA Phil.

Visit The Music Center, and you’ll find many ways you can experience arts and cultural experiences. The Music Center’s programming arm, TMC Arts, creates inclusive arts and cultural experiences across numerous genres—for, with and by the community—both on our stages and in our outdoor spaces including on Jerry Moss Plaza and in Grand Park. Our four resident companies offer world-class presentations on our stages with an emphasis on theatre, choral music, opera and classical music.

Important Info

Type: Ballet

City: Los Angeles, USA

Starts at: 19:30

Intervals: 1

Duration: 2h 35min

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