The Australian Ballet's SWAN LAKE Opens in Sydney in April

One of the most hallowed works staged by the Company, Resident choreographer Stephen Baynes Swan Lake was created in 2012 to mark The Australian Ballet's 50th anniversary. This visually beautiful production embodies the Company's quest to uphold heritage while striving to find new life in classic works. It opens at Sydney Opera House 1-20 April, then tours to Adelaide from 26-31 May, and Melbourne from 7-18 June.

Swan Lake has special significance for the Company: it was the first ballet ever danced by The Australian Ballet in 1962 at her Majesty's Theatre in Sydney. Fifty years later, the new Swan Lake by Baynes entered the company's repertoire in 2012. His beautiful, traditional ballet is the perfect counterpoint to Graeme Murphy's modern day Swan Lake, which was commissioned for the Company's 40th anniversary, and which has toured across Australia and around the globe over this decade.

This is the first time since 2012 that the Company has brought back the traditional and much-loved Stephen Baynes version of Swan Lake to Sydney and Melbourne, and the first time since 2013 that it has been staged in Adelaide.

The revival includes significant changes to the cast. The lead role of Odette and Odile will be performed by Principal Artists Lana Jones, Amber Scott, Ako Kondo, and Leanne Stojmenov. For the first time, it will also be played by Senior Artist Natasha Kutsch.

An ageless ballet that has enchanted audiences for centuries, Baynes combines grand scale and psychological intimacy. His treatment of Swan Lake is a reverential reimagining, respecting the traditions and techniques of classical ballet.

The powerful work is complemented by Hugh Colman's designs, which pit Edwardian glamour against the spectral beauty of the white acts. The celebrated costume and set designer showcases his love of the classics with this heritage production. His extravagant and lavish designs further heighten the drama of the tragic love story. From the festive Edwardian costumes of the court to the spectacular ice-blue tutus of 24 swans on the moonlit lake, this production will captivate audiences of all ages.

An integral part of Swan Lake is Tchaikovsky's score, one of ballet's most recognisable pieces of music. Commissioned in 1875, it reportedly took the Russian composer a year to complete. >From the first yearning bars, the music takes audiences to another world. With its bewitched Swan Queen, doomed Prince, and velvety rich score, Swan Lake is the ultimate night at the ballet for seasoned ticket holders and newcomers alike.

Swan Lake made its debut in Moscow in 1877and is one of the world's most performed ballets. This is the fourth interpretation to enter The Australian Ballet's repertoire. In its various incarnations, Swan Lake has been danced by the company 612 times, making it the most frequently performed ballet in the Company's history.

This is the 20th work that Baynes has created for The Australian Ballet and his third full-length ballet. Baynes studied at The Australian Ballet School before joining the company in 1976. He first experimented with movement in 1986, creating Strauss Songs, a piece that won an Australian Ballet choreographic competition.

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