In 2005 it was over 30 years since the Zurich Opera House had seen a performance of probably the world’s best-loved ballet, Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. The Zurich Ballet, which has become one of the world’s leading dance ensembles under Heinz Spoerli’s direction, raised this famed work from its slumber with a dream team to tackle this classic anew.

Zurich Ballet Director and choreographer Spoerli has long been confirmed as a master storyteller and an imaginative renewer of the genre. With the support of set designer Erich Wonder and costumier Florence von Gerkan, he had devised a new and contemporary version of this classic dance tale that has been eagerly awaited by ballet enthusiasts all over the world - his third production of Swan Lake. Top Russian conductor Vladimir Fedoseyev ensures an evening of musical excellence, too.

“Spoerli's 2005 "Swan Lake," the third one in his career, is both traditional and radical. He stripped the work of its narrative content-claiming that everyone knows the story-and re-focused the ballet squarely around Siegfried, danced by a handsome technically solid Estonian Stanislav Jermakov… Polina Semionova, the Bolshoi-trained guest artist from Berlin, danced the double role of Odette/ Odile. It's easy to see why this spectacular technician has become an audience favorite. The first act's pas de trios featured veteran's Yen Han's filigreed pointe work; Arman Grigoryan's stunning jumps and Evelyn Spagnol's flying jetés. Vladimir Fedoseyev conducted the opera house orchestra with great understanding for the subtleties of the Tchaikovsky score.” - Danceviewtimes.com

Choreography by Heintz Spoerli.