Adaptations
So what?
Swan Lake can be classified as one of the most popular ballets, spanning across time, cultures, and the world. With numerous versions, adaptations, and even in different mediums, the ballet is none the less a classic. Ironically, the now famous story was once unpopular and unknown; when the ballet first premiered in 1877, it’s choreography was considered to be lacking and its musical score needed work. What made Swan Lake into the uber popular ballet it is today was the creative and impressive revival 18 years later by Marius Petipa. Although the original version of Swan Lake did not survive, the innovative and imaginative choreography of Petipa made the ballet an automatic hit, starting a craze. From movies to musicals, and from video games to virtual worlds, there is no stopping the impact that Swan Lake has left on our world.
The Great Chinese State Circus
The Great Chinese State Circus puts their own twist on the ballet Swan Lake. This group mixes ballet and acrobatics to this story. This performance shows elegance and beauty like a ballet, but it also has numerous acrobatic tricks.
Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake
In an all male version, Matthew Bourne brings out the aggressive and muscular side of a swan for his production of Swan Lake. Bourne’s 1995 movement is not classical, instead displaying his own identity in choreography for a modern audience.
Articles & Resources
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Fokine’s The Dying Swan
The Dying Swan is a 4-minute solo choreographed by Mikhail Fokine for Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova. This short ballet was first presented in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1905, influencing modern interpretations of Odette and inspiring numerous adaptations.
This 2010 film directed by Darren Aronofsky presents a twist on Swan Lake. In this story, the lead ballerina gets the role of the white swan but has to prove she can play the black swan as well, leading to an interesting transformation.
Black Swan
Imperial Ice Stars--Swan Lake on Ice
Restaged in 2006 by Artistic Director, Tony Mercer, "Imperial Ice Stars--Swan Lake on Ice" includes contemporary skating moves as well as expected classical ballet, to Tchaikovsky's original score. Lesley Stone of The Daily Maverick wrote, “While the grounded version is a classical beauty, the icy alternative is absolutely spectacular.”
