Trusted Shops badge

Swan Lake at Oper Leipzig

About the Event

Experience the magic of Swan Lake, one of the most popular ballet works at the Leipzig Opera House.

In his most popular ballet, Tchaikovsky tells the timeless story of the swan princess and her arch‐enemy as they fight for the man's own affections. Odette, the princess, is the essence of ethereal feminine beauty, and her rival Odile is the black swan who embodies sensuality and seduction. In his version of this fairy tale, Mario Schröder tackles the theme of the search for love and truth amidst the temptations of desire and ecstasy.

It's hard to believe that when Swan Lake opened in Moscow in 1877, it was not well received. It was too modern for the time. Critics said Tchaikovsky's music was 'too noisy, too Wagnerian and too symphonic'. They also called Julius Reisinger's choreography 'unimaginative and totally unmemorable'.

The original staging of Swan Lake had 41 performances over six years. Talks were under way to revive the piece when Tchaikovsky died in 1893. This was undoubtedly a catalyst in the realization of the project in 1895. At that time, the Italian composer Drigo updated the score. This is the most widely used version today.

Cast / Production

Choreography: Mario Schröder
Set and video: Paul Zoller
Costume: Aleksandar Nashpal
Dramaturgy: Thilo Reinhardt
and Christian Geltinger
Conductor: Giedre Siekyte

Princess: Urania Lobo Garcia
White Swan: Anna Jo
Black Swan: Laura Costa Chaud
Benno: Lou Thabart
Mother: Fang Yi Liu
Stepfather: Marcos Vinicius da Silva

Gift card