77 White tutus, a sweeping love story and music that sends shivers down your spine: no production is more symbolic of classical ballet than Swan Lake. One hundred and fifty years after Tchaikovsky composed his masterpiece, it remains a ballet you simply must see. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky wrote his iconic score in 1877. Ahead of its time, its extraordinary quality was only universally recognised in 1895. The choreography created then by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov proved just as exceptional. Ever since, choreographers around the world have drawn on the surviving elements of their version. Among them was Rudi van Dantzig, former artistic director of Dutch National Ballet, who in 1988 created what one leading critic called ‘the most beautiful Swan Lake ever’. Love and deception Van Dantzig opted for a deeply moving, profoundly human interpretation, giving his ballet powerful emotional expression, with love and deception at its heart. In his production, the white swan Odette embodies sincerity and purity, the ideals of the young Prince Siegfried. He swears eternal devotion to her, yet allows himself to be seduced by the glittering black swan Odile. In doing so, he not only betrays and loses Odette, but also turns his back on his own ideals, with far reaching consequences. Set ablaze The enduring success of Van Dantzig’s version is certainly also due to the contributions of the multi-talented Toer van Schayk. Besides choregraphing the colourful, lively folk dances that set Odile’s entrance ablaze in the third act, he also designed the beautiful sets and impressive costumes, which are inspired by the paintings of the seventeenth-century Dutch Masters. ‘Each costume is a jewel in its own right’, wrote newspaper de Volkskrant. “ Magical, enchanting, unique, world-class; name a superlative and it’s applicable” NRC Revival Choreography Rudi van Dantzig, after Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, in collaboration with Toer van Schayk Music Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Set and costume design Toer van Schayk Lighting design Jan Hofstra Musical accompaniment Dutch Ballet Orchestra conducted by Fayçal Karoui (October / November 2026) | Alexei Baklan (April 2027) The matinee performance on 18 April will include audio description, making it extra accessible for blind and visually impaired audiences. Main sponsor Junior Company Partners Junior Company Premiere 15/10/2026 Subsequent performances: 17, 18*, 22, 23, 24, 25*, 28, 29, 31 October, 1*, 3, 8* November 2026, 11*, 13, 15, 17, 18*, 21, 23, 24 April 2027 | Curtain-up: 19:30 / *14:00 | Ticket sales start on: 7 May 2026 | Price Category: A | Location: Main Stage, Dutch National Opera & Ballet Dancer: Yuanyuan Zhang | Photo: Petrovsky & Ramone Ballet classic Swan Lake Rudi van Dantzig, in collaboration with Toer van Schayk
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