Swan Lake at the London Coliseum

Light and enchanting as only a white feather can be, the most classic of ballets graces the stage at the London Coliseum. Derek Deane’s Swan Lake by the English National Ballet pirouettes into 2023 for a limited run.

Prince Siegfried (Francesco Gabriele Frola) is celebrating his birthday when his mother reminds him the time has come for him to marry. Leaving to find a solitary place to reflect, he arrives at a lakeside where a flock of swans is resting. Among them rises Princess Odette (Fernanda Oliveira), transformed by sorcerer Rothbart into a swan. The prince promises her eternal love. But, back at the palace, Siegfried is presented with the sorcerer’s daughter, Odile, whom he mistakes for Odette, breaking his pledge of love. The Swan Queen seeks refuge at the lakeside, where she is soon followed by Siegfried and where the lovers will meet their destiny.

Packed with a stimulating combination of classic dance forms, Swan Lake continues to mesmerise audiences with its dramatic and lyrical narrative, brought to life through the music and choreography. Tchaikovsky’s melodies vibrate from the pit to drive the pace; no script nor particularly explicit gesture is needed, as the melodies, alongside the pas de deux, the ensembles and solos, carry the twists of the tale. Lead principals Hawes and Frola are magnificent: the couple delivers the right level of energy, neither vehement nor feeble, meeting in the middle and alternately setting one another free in a rhythmic back-and-forth. Their bodies reach for each other magnetically yet softly.

The four acts have distinct characters, and the sequences within each – from the style of dance to the hues of the setting – mark the differences well, backdrop and wings aptly framing the scenes, one moment embedded in nature, the next in the vibrant colours of the palace. The mysterious atmosphere at the lake is enhanced by the fog and the dancers soaring from it. Act two is undoubtedly the most memorable: after the clamour of the court, the synchronised flow of the abundant corps and soloists in their candidly white tutus is hypnotising. The choreography is dynamic and ethereal at the same time.

This rendition of Swan Lake glides with weightless elegance.

Cristiana Ferrauti
Photo: Laurent Liotardo

Swan Lake is at the London Coliseum from 12^th January until 22^nd January 2023. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.