English National Ballet’s Swan Lake-in-the-round

Royal Albert Hall, London
June 12, 2024

Spectacular! Magical. Piece-de-resistance. Fifty swans, thirty-two fouettés, eight cygnets, Peter Farmer’s fabulous costumes, Howard Harrison’s atmospheric lighting, and the magnificent English National Ballet Philharmonic under now guest conductor Gavin Sutherland.

It’s long been a landmark production of the classic but English National Ballet’s Swan Lake-in-the-round still wows. The company and choreographer-director of the production, Derek Deane, pull it off brilliantly.

Sangeun Lee as Odette and Gareth Haw as Prince Siegfried
Photo Laurent Liotardo

Gareth Haw, and Sangeun Lee as Siegfried and Odette-Odile respectively, were making their debuts in the roles. Once or twice, Haw’s jumps appeared a little laboured, but then he soared round the huge space that is the Albert Hall, in a series of breathtaking grand jetés that had the packed house on its feet. Perhaps he could imbue the role with a little more emotion, although making it travel across the vast arena is not the easiest of jobs.

On the other hand, Lee had emotion in spades, her sharp-edged Odile contrasting starkly with her soft, sad, Odette. A mis-landing from an attitude turn in the Grand pas-de-deux caused the audience to audibly hold its collective breath but  Lee didn’t miss a beat, and the rest was danced to perfection. They richly deserved the standing ovation they received.

The other dancers all played their part, dancing their hearts out alongside James Streeter, a suitably menacing, if dance-free, Von Rothbart; Jane Haworth’s very regal Queen; and company veteran, Michael Coleman’s comically endearing Tutor.

The children, from Tring Park, danced with energy and without fault. The final word, however, must go to those fifty swans. Individually, their technique might have varied. But as a corps-de-swans, they were perfectly in unison and quite simply magical.

English National Ballet’s Swan Lake-in-the-round is at the Royal Albert Hall to June 26, 2024.