Swan Lake

Choreographer Liam Scarlett’s 2018 staging of Tchaikovsky’s ever-popular classic—the first new mounting by The Royal Ballet in more than 30 years—presents an almost perfect version of the dark fairy tale, reworking many of the numbers while adding a few uncontroversial wrinkles (a prologue showing the evil Von Rothbart changing Odette into a swan, more dance for the prince’s friend Benno, and a new pas de deux for Odette and Prince Siegfried in the final act). But Scarlett also makes a couple of choices some might find debatable: namely, having Von Rothbart appear at the royal court in the early scenes and showing Siegfried carrying Odette’s corpse from the lake in the final tableau. Overall, however, he sticks with the tried-and-true, modeling his work after that of Petipa and Ivanov and even retaining Ashton’s popular Neapolitan dance in Act 3. The combination of the new and the familiar proves delectable, especially when buttressed by magnificent new sets and costumes in the traditional style by John Macfarlane. The production is also blessed with superb dancing from Marianela Nuñez, as Odette and her dark twin Odile, and Vadim Muntagirov as the fickle Siegfried, whose love for the former is tested by his attraction to the latter. The other soloists, particularly Bennet Gartside as Von Rothbart and Alexander Campbell as Benno, provide stellar support, the corps de ballet is well-drilled, and the Opera House Orchestra plays exuberantly for Koen Kessels. Presented in DTS 5.1 (DTS-HD 5.1 on the Blu-ray release) and LPCM stereo, extras include an introduction to the ballet, a featurette on Macfarlane’s design, and an interview with former Royal Ballet principal dancer Darcey Bussell on the swan troupe. One of the best versions available on disc, this is highly recommended. (F. Swietek)