A storybook take on a classic ballet.
Swan Lake is one of the most iconic pieces of ballet for a reason; the score is absolutely faultless. Led by artistic director Daniela Dimova and music director and chief conductor Peter Tuleshkov, Varna International Ballet are a Bulgarian company currently touring the UK. The ballet follows a love story between Prince Siegfried and a young woman named Odette, who has been cursed to turn into a swan. Her curse can only be broken by his love. This is complicated by the machinations of the evil wizard Rothbart, who attempts to trick the prince into falling in love with a woman identical to Odette. The endings to the ballet differ and are often tragic; however, in Varna’s production, Siegfried and Odette are reunited.
The narrative was not immediately clear throughout the show, nor did the presentation of the narrative feel like a priority for the company. The focus was instead on the choreography. However, even to the untrained eye, several moments in the show stood out: the princesses’ solos, the first duet between the prince and the Black Swan, and the performance of the jesters, who injected such joy and whimsy into the show and proved instantly charming.
Asya Stoimenova’s set and costume designs created a storybook effect. The framing device at the start of the show features the prince reading a storybook by the lake. The costumes, with their highly saturated colour scheme and theatrical flair, worked alongside this design and helped to create the impression of watching a story unfold.
There were a few elements of the show that did not entirely work. At various points, the projections decorating the back of the stage were distracting and baffling. They had a grainy quality and often undercut the rest of the production. While the intention of most of the projections was clear, the execution felt unsuccessful, with certain choices such as the owl flying towards the screen at the end of the opening remaining confusing. Another factor that detracted from the show was the orchestra, which felt muted and was occasionally difficult to hear, impacting the effect of some of the ballet’s biggest moments.
Whilst the show was not perfect, with moments where dancers appeared out of sync and some design elements fell short, it was nevertheless a pleasant and enjoyable evening. As a first experience of watching ballet, it’s definitely left me wanting to see and experience more.