Swan Lake in-the-round at Royal Albert Hall

A vaporous white layer covers the Royal Albert Hall’s arena, transforming the oval space into a lake where a group of white-clad dancers hovers in. The rumbling of 60 pairs of pointe shoes echoes: a perfectly paced drumming that, from the first rows, becomes the sound of trickling water as it reaches the higher seats. The pristine costumes, glowing in the bluish light, are a spectacle of coordination and graceful movements. Derek Dean’s production of Swan Lake, one of the English National Ballet’s most famous shows over the last 30 years, fully utilises the almost 360-degree staging, presenting choreography that intrigues the eyes and sparks emotions.

Prince Siegfried (Gareth Haw) is celebrating his birthday at the castle when his Queen mother (Jane Haworth) reminds him he must soon choose a wife. Distracted by the view of a swan, he ventures to the lake. Here, at nighttime, the magnificent swans transform into maidens led by their lady Odette (Sangeun Lee). Siegfried discovers the women are under a cruel spell cast by the wicked Rothbart (James Streeter), condemned to metamorphose back into humans only for a few hours each day. He promises Odette to remain faithful to her, but the evil sorcerer is already plotting against the two lovers.

The company showcases ambition and marvellous physical prowess. Lee is a delight in every step, and as she forms elegant shapes with the linearity of her muscles, she holds the audience’s breath. Haw, with gusto, revives his sequences in the third act with pirouettes that deservedly command the full space of the theatre and theatregoer’s hearts. The numbers performed by the ensemble at the castle in celebration of the Prince’s birthday, hinting at different genres of dance, are vivacious. In Acts II and IV, the ballerinas are a spectacle to behold. Avoiding clichèd motions of sensuality, the technique is clean, the intersection of steps is smooth, and the parallel lines, with the symmetry of arms and legs, are magnetic. While maintaining a traditional take on the opera, Deane’s choreography transcends the limitations of a front-facing-only-corps de ballet, playing on intricate spanning of the dancers, who cross each other and are visible from all angles.

Apart from a simple backdrop and some chairs, the setting is clean of props and frills. The English National Ballet Philharmonic, led by Gavin Sutherland, performs grandiosely.

Returning to the Temple of Arts in South Kensington for a limited period only, Swan Lake in-the-round stands out as one of the unmissable events of the year, both for ballet aficionados and first-time audience members.

Cristiana Ferrauti
Images: Ian Gavan

Swan Lake in-the-round is at Royal Albert Hall from 12^th until 23^rd June 2024. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.

Watch the trailer for Swan Lake in-the-round here: