Dutch National Ballet to Present THE SWAN LAKE Beginning in March

Dutch National Ballet will present the first night of the full-length ballet classic Swan Lake on Wednesday 22 March. Over the past sixty years, besides presenting successful international productions, the company has also produced its own interpretations of the classics. One of the most important milestones along the way was Rudi van Dantzig's Swan Lake from 1988, which is still regarded worldwide as one of the most beautiful versions of this 'ballet of ballets'. In total, seventeen performances of the production will be given in the period from 22 March 2023 to 18 April 2023.

For his adaptation of the famous classic, the former artistic director was inspired mainly by Tchaikovsky; not just by his music, but also by his letters and diaries. Van Dantzig respected the surviving sections of the 'standard' version by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov from 1895, while choosing for a less superficial, more human interpretation of the other sections, thus lending his production an extremely emotional power of expression.

Love and deception

Love and deception are the keywords in Swan Lake. Siegfried, a young prince with the soul of a poet, meets a white swan, Odette, at the lakeside one night, and he promises to be faithful to her (and thus also to his ideals). Back in the palace, however, Siegfried allows himself to be seduced by the sorcerer's daughter Odile, who is disguised as a BLACK SWAN. Too late, Siegfried realises his mistake.

Toer van Schayk

In the way that Petipa received assistance from Ivanov for Swan Lake, so Van Dantzig called on the multi-talented Toer van Schayk. Van Schayk choreographed the colourful folk dances that add lustre to Siegfried's birthday party in the third act. He also designed the impressive sets and costumes, taking inspiration from the 'golden' paintings of the seventeenth-century Dutch Masters.

Rudi van Dantzig

2023 is the ninetieth anniversary of the birth of Rudi van Dantzig (1933-2012). For over twenty years, he was the artistic director of Dutch National Ballet, which he forged into a united family. His ballets demonstrate great social engagement and a perpetual 'quest for the unattainable'. His most famous works include Four Last Songs, Monument for a dead boy, Onder mijne voeten and his acclaimed versions of the full-length classical ballets Romeo and Juliet and Swan Lake.

CREDITS

Choreography
Rudi van Dantzig, after Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, in collaboration with Toer van Schayk

Set and costume design
Toer van Schayk

Music
Pjotr Iljitsj Tsjaikovski

Musical accompaniment
Dutch Ballet Orchestra conducted by Matthew Rowe
The recommended age for this performance from National Opera & Ballet is 10+.

Performance dates of Swan Lake in Dutch NAtional Opera & Ballet, Amsterdam
March Wed. 22 (premiere), Thu. 23, Sat. 25, Sun. 26*, Tue. 28, Thu. 30 and April Sat. 1, Sun. 2*, Tue. 4, Thur. 6, Fri. 7, Sun. 9*, Mon. 10, Wed. 12, Fri. 14, Sat. 15 and Tue. 18

Curtain up 19.30 hrs / *14.00 hrs

Admission Dutch National Opera & Ballet
- Standard between €25,- en €107,-
- Discounts applicable to age 16 and under

Tickets are available from the Box Office of Dutch National Opera & Ballet +31 20 625 54 55 or online via operaballet.nl.

Photo Credit: Marta Syrko

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