National Ballet presents 'Swan Lake' this weekend

Korean National Ballet's Joung Eun-young and Lee Jae-woo perform “Swan Lake” during a special dress rehearsal open to the media at the Seoul Arts Center, Tuesday. Courtesy of Korean National Ballet

By Anna J. Park

The Korean National Ballet is presenting “Swan Lake” from Wednesday until the weekend at the Opera Theater, Seoul Arts Center.

This is the first time in four years that the national ballet company has performed the classic Russian ballet.

“Swan Lake” premiered at Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre in 1877, with a grim yet dramatic score written by Tchaikovsky from 1875 to 1876. With revisions to its choreography and music, the 1895 version ― choreographed by Petipa and Ivanov ― finally achieved great success. Ever since, “Swan Lake” has become a pinnacle for Russian ballet companies while inspiring countless choreographers to create their own interpretations of the work.

Joung Eun-young will make her solo debut in “Swan Lake” in the challenging dual role of Odette and Odile. Courtesy of Korean National Ballet

The Korean National Ballet's production is Yuri Grigorovich's 1969 version. In this version, the character of Rothbart, the evil sorcerer who curses Odette and turns her into a swan, has a more significant role.

Instead of relying on a simple dichotomous divide of good and evil, the ballet shows scenes of identical dance moves by the anguished Prince Siegfried and the evil magician Rothbart side by side ― implying Rothbart could be just another side of the prince.

Grigorovich's version also has a happy ending, where the true love of Odette and Prince Siegfried triumph over deception and evil intentions.

During Tuesday's special dress rehearsal open to the media, before the ballet's official opening Wednesday, the ballet company's soloist Joung Eun-young performed the challenging dual role of Odette and Odile with grace and calm. It is Joung's debut in this role.

After playing the innocent Odette with a touch of freshness in the first act, she successfully transformed into Odile in the second, completing Odile's famed 32 consecutive fouette turns en pointe with a smile.

Principal dancer Lee Jae-woo portrayed the prince's character, fraught with agony and confusion because of his love for spell-bound Odette, well. Principal dancer Kim Ki-wan also brought vigor and energy to the evil Rothbart.

Dance scenes of a group of 24 swans in both acts, as well as the clown's technically challenging solos, are also the part of the production's highlights.

Principal dancers Park Seul-ki, Kim Li-hoe and Joung will alternate in the dual role of Odette and Odile, while principal dancers Lee Jae-woo, Park Jong-seok and Heo Seo-myeong will alternate in the role of Prince Siegfried in the 145-minute ballet. It will also be a comeback performance for Kim Li-hoe who gave birth to a daughter in January.

As most tickets for all performances are sold out, seats with limited views will be available at a cheap price 90 minutes before the start of the ballet, at the ticket booth at the Opera Theater of Seoul Arts Center.

Principal dancers Lee Jae-woo, left, and Joung Eun-young perform in “Swan Lake” during a dress rehearsal open to the media at the Seoul Arts Center, Tuesday. Courtesy of Korean National Ballet