SWAN LAKE Returns in April For a Scottish Tour

Originally scheduled in 2020, the world’s most famous ballet, Swan Lake, performed by Scotland’s national dance company, returns in April.

Not a tutu or tiara in sight – this update of the classic ballet features a stunning minimal set and sleek, stylish costume designs, focusing the audience’s attention on the sheer athleticism on stage - arching backs, spiralling arms and mesmerising patterns, which push the company dancers to their physical limits. 

Performed to Tchaikovsky’s famous romantic score, David Dawson’s daring, visceral choreography celebrates the corps de ballet at its best, as the swarming dancers become the heart and soul of the story on stage. 

Much-loved former Scottish Ballet Principal Dancer Sophie Martin, who Swan Lake was originally created on, will return to perform on several dates in Glasgow and Edinburgh, having missed out when the tour was cancelled in 2020.

In this famous tale of purity versus seduction, the strong, graceful swan Odette captivates young and lonely Siegfried. Their duets are powered by emotional honesty, as she flies across the stage towards him, flanked by shifting formations of swans. But later, her nemesis Odile appears, who whips the air around her into a thrilling physical and psychological frenzy, and Siegfried mistakes her for Odette. 

Scottish Ballet Artistic Director/CEO Christopher Hampson said, “This is a production that really shows Scottish Ballet dancers at their best, particularly the women, as they personify these incredible creatures. I set choreographer David Dawson a challenge, to take a classic and iconic work but refresh it to speak to new generations – he certainly rose to that challenge and delivered a distinctive and visceral production. The visual simplicity is profound, with the focus on the dancers and the remarkable shapes that they make – the corps de ballet are the stars.”

Choreographer David Dawson said, “Scottish Ballet has made me feel very welcome. The dancers are warm and open and have created a very productive environment. They love the challenge of virtuosity and audiences love to see them succeed. Since I was last here, a lot of the younger ones have grown up and I feel incredibly proud to see what they are achieving. Swan Lake is about trust, love and betrayal, something we can all relate to. In my version I don’t want spectators watching history, I want the characters to be you and me.”

Principal Dancer Roseanna Leney said, “The art of ballet is making extremely hard things look elegant, but then there is a ballet like this Swan Lake – it just pushes traditional classical ballet moves to every extreme. David Dawson has a very specific style – full of expansive, exaggerated, but graceful movements. It’s extremely demanding but incredibly rewarding to dance. Especially being women – the swans are in all four acts, it’s non-stop dancing. That builds a real team – all the women are together in this hard process, everyone out of breath together. Up close, you hear that breathing, and it pushes you even further.”

Scottish Ballet’s Head of Performance Medicine, Martin Lanfear said, “We aim for our dancers to be in a performance ready state. This means that they are able to balance the athletic rigours of the repertoire with the artistic vision, whilst making everything look effortless. Our focus is not just on developing cardiovascular capacity, but also the ability to recover quickly and gracefully.”

Tour dates:

Theatre Royal, Glasgow
4 – 6 April 2024

His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen
18 – 20 April 2024

Eden Court, Inverness
26 – 27 April 2024

Festival Theatre, Edinburgh
2 – 4 May 2024

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