Strength and Grace in Mikko Nissinen’s Swan Lake at the Boston Ballet

Disclosure: We received complimentary passes to attend the Boston Ballet’s performance of Mikko Nissinen’s Swan Lake in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are our own.

Attending the ballet always elicits a certain nervous excitement – an evening of culture, sitting in the presence of greatness while you let your senses take over. Watching talented, graceful performers tell a captivating story using only their bodies leaves one in absolute awe. The ballet is a magical, cultural event.

Mikko Nissinen’s Swan Lake, back by popular demand after a record-breaking world premiere in October 2014, has returned to the Boston Ballet until May 26, 2016. This timeless masterpiece features choreography by Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen after Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov and costumes and sets by award-winning designer Robert Perdziola.

Photo of Misa Kuranaga by Gene Schiavone, courtesy Boston Ballet

Mikko Nissinen’s Swan Lake follows the Swan Queen Odette and Prince Siegfried in a tale of romance, sorcery, and deceit. I was absolutely mesmerized by Misa Kurangawa, a Principal Dancer with the Boston Ballet who performed Odette/Odile. The gracefulness and expressiveness of her arms alone were like poetry and song without words!

Photo by Rosalie O’Connor, courtesy of Boston Ballet

A dramatic lake scene solicited an excited gasp from the audience — the curtain opened to a fog-covered stage, and as the dramatic music rose, the unseen dancers/swans emerged from the misty lake. A truly unforgettable experience!

“While Swan Lake is more than 100 years old, it has truly timeless power and is probably the most beloved classical ballet in the world,” explains Mikko Nissinen, Boston Ballet Artistic Director. “With so many sold out performances last season, I am thrilled to bring it back this year and to give audiences more opportunities to see Swan Lake and for the Company to dance it.”

Photo by Rosalie O’Connor, courtesy of Boston Ballet

I will never get over how powerful and athletic these ballet dancers are — if jumped half as high, you would hear a very loud thump when I landed. They manage to land almost as softly and quietly as a feather!

Described by Robert Greskovic of The Wall Street Journal as “artful” and “luminous,” watching the story in this production of Swan Lake reminded me how ballet challenges our notions of what the body can do – in the most beautiful and artistic of ways.

Photo of Addie Tapp by Gene Schiavone, courtesy Boston Ballet

A stunning cultural experience, I feel so fortunate to have a treasure like the Boston Ballet in our city. Swan Lake is a romantic – and tragic – classic I absolutely recommend everyone attend. 

Click here for more information and to purchase tickets (which start at $35) before this hit show sells out: http://www.bostonballet.org/swanlake/

Feature Image: Guest Artist Gonzalo Garcia and Principal Misa Kuranaga in Mikko Nissinen’s Swan Lake; photo by Gene Schiavone, courtesy Boston Ballet

Maria Guerra