FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 24, 2022
TULSA, OK – After five years, Tulsa Ballet is proud to present the return of the quintessential 19th century classical masterpiece Swan Lake.
In this classic story, Odette, a young maiden trapped in the form of a swan due to an evil sorcerer’s curse, must find eternal love to break the spell. This lavish production, set to music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, features scenery and costumes by designer Peter Cazalet. With the timeless Corps de Ballet bevy of swans choreography, accompanied by live music from the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra, this iconic ballet returns to the Tulsa Performing Arts Center.
The first successful staging of the work premiered in 1895, two years after the death of Tchaikovsky, its success due to the new choreography by the fathers of classical ballet: Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov. Unfortunately, only the legendary Act Two remains of the original production, which means Artistic Director Marcello Angelini had to undertake re-staging the classic by re-choreographing three out of the four acts for Swan Lake. Of the enormous task he says, “The challenge is to stay true to the choreographic architecture that Petipa and Ivanov devised for their production, as well as to adhere to the stylistic aesthetics of the original choreography. The reason I decided, back in 1998, to re-choreograph the work myself is that I had the privilege of dancing many productions of this work in my past life as a dancer, including Andre Prokovsky’s production and Ivan Nagy’s rendering of this work. Having danced over 80 performances of this classic gave me a good idea of what belongs in the ballet.”
While Angelini’s goal was to keep the ballet classical, many edits were made including reducing the overall runtime from four hours to just two and half. He meticulously went through the score and various vignettes to edit all of the pieces out that were not instrumental in telling the core story. He also expanded the figure of Rothbart, the evil magician, as the alter ego of the Prince. In Tulsa Ballet’s version of Swan Lake, Rothbart represents the dark side of the Prince’s personality. The audience will see the internal struggle of Prince Siegfried, which is finally resolved when he is able to face and accept his challenges. The swans lose their feathers, become beautiful young maidens and love is restored.
Ballet aficionados will be able to appreciate the quality of the dancing and the subtleties of the choreography. Marcello says, “Swan Lake is one of the most difficult classical ballets ever and is really the measuring yard of any ballerina, principal male dancer and for the company as a whole. It’s a ballet everyone can enjoy, from children, to parents, to grandparents. It’s the perfect opportunity for the entire family to see a ballet performance.”
QUICK FACTS
WHEN AND WHERE:
Tulsa Performing Arts Center | 110 E 2nd St. Tulsa, OK 74103
Thursday, March 24 | 7:00 pm (Preview Night)
Friday, March 25 | 7:30 pm
Saturday, March 26 | 7:30 pm
Sunday, March 27 | 2:30 pm
TICKETS: Starting at $25
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Tulsaballet.org or (918) 749-6006
Interview opportunities available:
Bethany Kirby | Marketing Manager
918.392.5949 | Bethany.kirby@tulsaballet.org