Ballet

A Swan Lake by Alexander Ekman, music by Mikael Karlsson

The Norwegian National Ballet

Live
Certain chapters are not available.
Thank you for your understanding.

Cast

Alexander Ekman — Choreographer, set designer, Voice-over, Sound Designer

Henrik Vibskov — Costumes

Tom Visser — Lighting designer

Mikael Karlsson — Voice-over, Sound Designer

Jan Gunnar Røise — The Artist

Fridtjov Såheim — The Producer

Elisabeth Teige — The Diva

Camilla Spidsøe Cohen — White Swan

Melissa Hough — Black Swan

Philip Currell — Siegfried

The Norwegian National Opera & Ballet

The Norwegian National Opera Orchestra

Per Kristian Skalstad — Conductor

Program notes

"Why let reality get in the way of a good story?" exclaims one of the characters of this artwork that lies somewhere between stage play and ballet—a fitting question with which to approach A Swan Lake by Alexander Ekman.

In the first act, reworked excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s beloved score mix with scathing, absurd, and witty dialogues to depict the genesis and realization of a ballet (Swan Lake). With bold irreverence and touches of parody, Ekman's brilliant, self-reflective work takes a tongue-in-cheek look at today’s ballet scene.

In the second act, the awe-inspiring dancers of the Norwegian National Ballet perfectly embody all the physicality and energy of this ballet-within-a-ballet. Their artful athleticism is complemented both by Mikael Karlsson’s effective music—alternating between and occasionally mixing humor and darkness—and by a unique scenic feat: an actual onstage lake of 5,000 liters of water that serves as both backdrop and musical instrument. Actors of great magnetism, a stunning soprano, and the Norwegian National Opera Orchestra add their talents to the most surreal Swan Lake you will ever see!

This is just one of many beautiful ballets available on medici.tv, the web's leading classical music streaming platform!

A closer look: featured composers

Appears in

More info