‘Swan Lake’ to be performed at Benedum May 6-15
Courtesy of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
The classic ballet “Swan Lake” will be performed at the Benedum Center May 6-15.
Courtesy of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
A number of educational activities bring the opportunity to learn more about “Swan Lake,” sent to be performed in Pittsburgh May 6-15.
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre invites audiences to fall under the spell of the enduring love story “Swan Lake” Friday, May 6 through Sunday, May 15 at the Benedum Center.
With new staging by Artistic Director Susan Jaffe and an iconic Tchaikovsky score performed by the PBT Orchestra, audiences will be enchanted by this timeless tale of love and betrayal.
“Swan Lake” tells the story of the beautiful princess Odette, cursed by the evil wizard Von Rothbart to live as a swan by day, only able to assume her human guise in the hours of darkness. When the young Prince Siegfried witnesses her transformation from a swan into a beautiful maiden, he discovers that the spell can only be broken by her true love. However, the wicked Von Rothbart and his daughter Odile have other plans up their sleeves.
In addition to the performances, PBT is offering a number of virtual and in-person free educational programs associated with the production.
“‘Swan Lake’ has had an immense cultural impact over the last 150 years and we’re so excited to bring its rich text to life for audiences through a vibrant range of programs,” said Director of Education and Community Engagement Kathryn Gigler. “Today’s global moment offers us the opportunity to engage audiences around Swan Lake’s place in a complex sociopolitical context as well as its transcendent beauty as a work of art.”
Educational programs include:
• Dance the Story, a movement-based story time for children on Thursday, May 5 at 5:30 p.m., live on Zoom;
• “The Fascinating History of Swan Lake: The World’s Most Beloved Ballet,” on Thursday, May 5 at 7 p.m., live on Zoom. The program features an introduction to the ballet with dance historian and bestselling author Elizabeth Kaye;
• Director’s Cut, Friday, May 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the Benedum Center features an opening night conversation between Kaye and Jaffe about Jaffe’s new choreography for the ballet. Space is limited;
• ViewPointe, Saturday, May 7 at 6:30 p.m. at the Benedum Center features PBT Music Director and Principal Conductor Charles Barker previewing the ballet and its score;
•Ballet Warmup, Sunday, May 8 at 1 p.m. at the Benedum Center. Attendees will watch the last few minutes of company class and talk with Principal Dancer Alejandro Diaz about the role of Prince Siegfried;
• Dancer Q&A on Sunday, May 8, after the performance at the Benedum Center. Retiring Principal Dancer Alexandra Kochis will share her “Swan Lake” story;
• A two-part virtual series hosted by PBT and World Affairs Council Pittsburgh examines “Swan Lake” as a cultural touchpoint in the context of Russia’s current war on Ukraine, as well as the role of artistic performance in cultural exchange and global conflict. The Wednesday, May 4 session is “Reconsidering ‘Swan Lake’: Culture and Context.” The Wednesday, May 11 session is “Cultural Exchange and Global Conflict: ‘Swan Lake’ and Beyond.”
Both sessions will be held at noon via Zoom.
To register for any of the educational sessions, visit pbt.org/swan-lake.