This beautifully produced new Royal Ballet branded book with photographs
by Bill Cooper is a collection of exclusive photographs which shines the
spotlight on Swan Lake. These exquisite photos feature some of the
finest dancers on stage today and give an exclusive insight into the
Royal Ballet's work.
Swan Lake was Tchaikovsky's first score for the ballet. Given its status
today as arguably the best-loved and most admired of all classical
ballets, it is perhaps surprising that at its premiere in 1877 Swan Lake
was poorly received. It is thanks to the 1895 production by Marius
Petipa and Lev Ivanov that Swan Lake has become part of not only ballet
consciousness but also wider popular culture. That success is secured
not only by the sublime, symphonic sweep of Tchaikovsky's score but also
by the striking choreographic contrasts between Petipa's royal palace
scenes and the lyric lakeside scenes created by Ivanov.
Swan Lake has had a special role in the repertory of The Royal Ballet
since 1934. Since then there has been a succession of productions, the
most recent of which was overseen by Anthony Dowell. The 2019 Season
sees a new production with additional choreography by ROH
Artist-in-Residence Liam Scarlett. Scarlett, while remaining faithful to
the Petipa-Ivanov text, will bring fresh eyes to the staging of this
classic ballet, in collaboration with his long-term designer John
Macfarlane.
