Swan Lake
Everyone knows the story of ‘Swan Lake’. A princess turned into a swan, a wicked sorcerer, a chiselled prince coming to save her. It’s a wonder that the ancient story, and ancient 1877 choreography by Marius Petipa, is still beguiling audiences. But just like the most classic of fairy tales, the tale of the cursed princess remains a gesamtkunstwerk that will definitely pull on your heartstrings. In a production first staged in 2018, ‘Swan Lake’ at the Royal Opera House is very much a trad ballet. It’s got all the things you’d expect – beautiful, featherlight swans moving in mesmerising unison, grand sets (designed by John Macfarlane), lavish costumes (a personal favourite was the Queen’s glittering black Victorian ball gown with an enormous bustle), and a bombastic Tchaikovsky score. Apart from an altered ending, there’s not much about this production by Liam Scarlett that shocks or surprises. Everything is neatly shaped to fit into the package that is ‘the ballet’. It’s still beautiful and satisfying to watch, but not particularly mind blowing. In Act I the corps moves with military precision, with formations creating wonderful symmetry as the ballerinas swung their legs like pendulums. Then in the enchanted forest we meet Mayara Magri as Odette, who portrayed her with both a treacly sadness and light skittishness – not an easy combination to nail. Marcelino Sambé’s Prince Siegfried was a dependable partner, while also performing some seriously impressive jetés and pirouet