A first-time ballet attendee shares their experience of watching Swan Lake at Liverpool's Empire Theatre, noting its beauty and talent but also expressing disappointment at its lack of emotional impact.
Friday night was a night of firsts for me. It was my first time going to the ballet, but it was also the first time I had been disappointed not to cry. For years, I’ve wanted to watch Swan Lake because I'd only ever seen or read how people would burst into tears because of how beautiful the performance was and I was so ready to feel all of that emotion - but sadly it didn’t come.
More than 140 years since it first premiered, Swan Lake remains the world’s most popular - and arguably most famous - ballet. Described as 'the greatest romantic ballet of all time', Swan Lake tells the tragic love story of Prince Siegfried and Princess Odette, who is cursed to be a swan during the day and human at night. Raymond Gubbay brought his version of the classic story to Liverpool's Empire Theatre on Friday, January 10. The performance begins with Prince Siegfried reading a book of a swan and knight who fell in love and had a daughter, Odette. But the story isn't all happy endings. The ballet performance is actually much darker than I realised. It's a tragic start as the knight and fairy are killed by an evil sorcerers spell, leaving Odette to flee and finds herself in a village with Siegfried - who is looking for a wife. Although without the programme, not knowing the story of Swan Lake, I did find this hard to follow. Scene two in the first act, had to be my favourite as dozens of ballerinas danced across the stage in white tutus, imitating a flock of white swans on a lake. As the audience watched Siegfried and Princess Odette fall in love the dancing was beautiful and elegant, but still not a single tear in sight. A quick interval and act two was underway. The second half saw a castle scene where a ball was held for Siegfried, whose love story with Odette has taken a dark turn as he betrays her. This is where the beautiful black swans appeared on screen - by far my favourite of the night. The dancing felt much more upbeat, faster and sexier. Finally, the final scene of the night, I was positive a tear would be brought to my eye. But as black swans surrounded Odette on stage and Siegfried comes to beg for forgiveness, there was no tear in sight. Not even when Odette is saved from the evil sorcerer by her love. I can't lie, going to the Empire having never seen a ballet performance before last night I expected more. That being said, it was utterly beautiful and the talent on the stage was unbelievable. I just expected to be more moved by the performance. Swan Lake is on at Liverpool empire Theatre until January 11. You can find out more information here
Ballet Swan Lake Liverpool Empire Theatre Raymond Gubbay Dance
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