Varna International Ballet's spellbinding take on the classic fairy tale
The Varna International Ballet performed to a full house at the Royal Concert Hall for its second part of a three-night run of ballet classics, in a spellbinding rendition of Swan Lake. The troupe had performed Romeo and Juliet the night before, and were to perform The Nutcracker the following night.
Varna is truly international in nature, with dancers hailing from countries such as Italy, Finland, Ireland, Brazil and Ukraine to name a few. The collective talent is something to behold, as the performances of very strenuous and complex sequences seemed completely flawless to the amateur eye.
The set design was a very interesting mix of traditional and digital aspects, with a striking animated interpretation of Prince Siegfried's inner mind serving as the ballet's backdrop. The intelligent choreography merged classical and modern ballet very creatively, especially with the character of the toxic - and intoxicated - antagonist, Baron von Rothbart.
Where the whole piece really shone was during the dances of the swans - or corps du ballet - who demonstrate remarkable strength by remaining "en pointe" and in sync throughout, epitomising the strength, grace and discipline that professional dancers are renowned for. The storm scene finale blurred fantasy and reality in a reinterpretation of the story’s traditional ending, with a happier twist.
Does the prince fall into a world of dreams? Is his swan princess real, or a figment of his imagination? Whichever the case, Swan Lake, ultimately a tale of love and longing, succeeds in keeping the fairy tale alive and the audience riveted throughout.
Swan Lake was performed as part of the Varna International Ballet series on Friday 31 January 2025 at Nottingham's Theatre Royal.
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