Review English National Ballet Swan Lake, Palace Theatre Manchester
English National Ballet Swan Lake has floated into the Palace Theatre Manchester and you can discover what we thought in our review.
English National Ballet returned to Manchester this week, performing Swan Lake at the Palace Theatre – and we were delighted to be there for opening night.
We asked our On The Go reviewer Leanne and her husband to check it out and you can discover what they thought below.
Review of English National Ballet Swan Lake at The Palace Theatre Manchester
Swan Lake is one of the oldest, and arguably the world’s most famous ballet (tho’ fans of the Nutcracker will surely disagree!).
For those not so familiar with the story, it takes viewers through the tumultuous love story of Prince Siegfried and Swan Queen Odette (the ‘White Swan’).
The story displays their battle against the evil sorcerer Rothbart who curses Odette, resigning her to swan form by day – human form by night. This curse can only be broken if someone commits to loving Odette forever.
Image Credit – Laurent Liotardo
In Act III, Rothbart unveils his next cunning plan, transforming his own daughter Odile (the ‘Black Swan) to look like Odette (the same dancer – Fernanda Oliveira plays both swans), making it difficult for Odette to find her love.
The introduction of Odile in Act III was undoubtedly the highlight, and the Black Swan’s incredible solo performance stole the show for us.
Image Credit – Laurent Liotardo
Other highlights are the opening of Act II, when the swans form en masse; their symmetry in these sets is magical and gravity-defying! And credit must go to director Derek Deane who executed the perfect format – not to mention a majestic set design that gave each Act its own look and helped move the story along.
Whether you’re familiar with the story or not (we’re lucky enough to have seen the ENB’s version of Swan Lake in London) Tchaikovsky’s famous score throws up some recognisable melodies – each perfectly played by English National Ballet Philharmonic – especially regular renditions of the Swan Theme.
Covid’s kept English National Ballet away from the stage since 2019 so it truly is a treat to immerse yourself back into this unique art form – even more so in the packed-out Palace Theatre with a great atmosphere and lots of applause!
The show starts at 7.30pm and is just under three hours long – with three intervals punctuating the four acts, giving attendees a chance to reflect before delving back into one of the stage’s most famous love stories.
Main Image Credit – ASH
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