For many audiences, Swan Lake is synonymous with its second act, a cornerstone of the classical repertoire, instantly recognisable for its white-clad dancers and Tchaikovsky’s celebrated score. Act II can be regarded as one of the earliest examples of abstract ballet: a work to contemplate without needing to decipher its meaning.
Jean-Christophe Maillot’s LAC takes a narrative approach. In Swan Lake, everything is mysterious, complex and rich in meaning. Tchaikovsky himself conceived the idea of a symphonic ballet about a human being whose transformation would make love impossible. Rooted in Greek, Nordic and Russian legends, the swan is a compelling figure, poised between human and animal from the outset.
Working with writer Jean Rouaud, Jean-Christophe Maillot rekindles the anguish of a story that echoes our nightmares. Buried experiences resurface against a backdrop of Machiavellian family intrigue, giving rise to a ballet of contrasts.
The transformation from animal to human runs through the entire work, calling our own nature into question. We believe our ability to choose sets us apart from animals. But is that all we are capable of? Are we not, after all, just as lost as the Prince? Maillot depicts him wavering between white and black, good and evil, innocence and eroticism.
Perhaps our humanity ultimately lies in the simple, insatiable longing that defines us from our very first cry: we want everything!
Running time: 1 hour 35 minutes, without an interval.
