Swan Lake 

English National Ballet

London Coliseum

***

Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker has, as usual, dominated the dance scene in December and January, but now his other two famous ballets are making an appearance. English National Ballet’s Swan Lake has made a welcome return to the London Coliseum’s stage, while the Birmingham Royal Ballet’s version will be touring the country between February and April. The Sleeping Beauty is back for a long run at the Royal Opera House, so it is a wonderful chance for music fans to compare three of the greatest ballet scores ever written – and all by the same man.

The ENB’s production (by Derek Deane after Petipa and Ivanov) begins with a brief transformation scene, explaining how Odette was turned into a swan, before we are treated to a traditional version of Act I. The dancing is neat, precise, with exceptionally speedy footwork from the corps and lovely petit batterie from Julia Conway in the pas de trois.

Between Act I and Act II there is a short pause but no interval and the house lights came up slightly. Though I understand the need for a break to move the scenery and allow time for costume changes, members of the audience started talking and did not settle when the Act II music began. I certainly could have done without the woman directly behind me singing the swan theme rather loudly. Odette’s famous solo entrance is replaced by her being surrounded by a small swan retinue – much less effective and it detracts from the corps de ballet’s big entrance moments later.

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(Photo: Laurent Liotardo)

The American ballerina Emma Hawes danced the dual role of Odette/Odile, with exquisite port de bras throughout and impressive balances in the tricky Act III pas de deux. Her Prince Siegfried was Aitor Arrieta, who looked suitably melancholy in Act I and displayed fine elevation but little chemistry with his Odette.

My major gripe is with the orchestra: the score is played at great speed, which works perfectly for the Neapolitan Dance in Act III (Ashton’s version, always a showstopper, and now performed far too slowly by the Royal Ballet), but less well in other dances. Hats off to the dancers in the Mazurka, which I have never heard played so fast, and the ending of the ballet is rather rushed, which is a shame. Maybe conductor Daniel Parkinson had a train to catch.

The English National Ballet in Swan Lake is at the London Coliseum until 22 January