State of Grace

Take a look behind the scenes with Cincinnati Ballet. Kirk Peterson narrates the pantomime language between Odette and Prince Siegfried. This silent language between dancers can be seen throughout the performance and highlights the emotional story unfolding on stage.

“Swan Lake”
Music Hall, 1241 Elm St.

Friday, Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 14 – 2 and 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 15, 1 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 19 – 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 20 – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 21 – 2 and 7:30 p.m.

Tickets and info at cballet.org.

Swan Lake is an iconic ballet masterpiece that has entranced audiences for generations.

The classic, romantic tragedy premieres from Cincinnati Ballet during Valentine’s Day weekend, making it a must-see for romantics. The iconic and challenging choreography by Kirk Peterson after Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov will captivate patrons, while the stunning Tchaikovsky score is brought to life by The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

The rigorous choreography of Swan Lake showcases the talent of the dancers while also using it to communicate with the audience. Pantomime gestures are used extensively to convey the emotions of the characters depicted within the ballet and further their emotional arcs. The choreography of Odette and Odile demands extraordinary versatility, asking dancers to transform seamlessly from a figure of light and love into one of darkness and deceit within the same performance. This duality not only tests technical precision, but also demands profound emotional depth and dramatic nuance.

The dancers will be sporting refreshed costumes which until recent edits had been unchanged since the 1990s. Updated elements will be added to Prince Siegfried and many of the Corps costumes.