I love a night out at the ballet, and Swan Lake is my absolute favorite! It’s been a few years since Boston Ballet’s last production of this classic, so if you missed seeing it last time, performances run until March 13, 2025. (Ticket details at the end of this post!)
Boston Ballet‘s breathtaking production of Swan Lake, features everything this ballet is known for and includes such iconic moments as Odile’s 32 fouettés and the pas de quatre, “Dance of the Little Swans.” While I knew these moments would be coming, I cannot describe how captivating it is to watch these performances in person, along with the ultra-precise corps de ballet sequences that make Swan Lake truly special.
This year, I was thrilled to be seated in the dress circle for the first time! I actually typically assume that for any dance performance you want to be on the floor, or in the orchestra section, because I thought if you were watching from above the stage you would lose some of the spectacle of the dancers’ jumps. This turned out not to be the case at all, at least at the Boston Opera House where I’m convinced there isn’t really a bad seat, and I loved being able to see both the dancers on stage and the orchestra from the dress circle.
All of the dancers in Swan Lake were spectacular as always, not only through extremely technical footwork but also in each dancer’s thoughtful portrayal of the characters. The movements by Boston Ballet’s incredibly talented dancers combined with Tchaikovsky’s timeless score and gorgeous costume designs made for a truly unforgettable experience.
Every moment of the ballet, across all four acts, had me completely focused on the stage—from Act I’s pas de trois to the final curtain call—in a way that I am not sure I have experienced at not only any other ballet but really any other live theatrical performance I have seen so far.
More than any other ballet I have attended, the atmosphere in the audience was a testament to how thrilling the performance was to watch, with audible gasps, cheers, and applause throughout the night. (And this is truly saying something because I attended a pre-show performance during dress rehearsal, so it wasn’t even a packed house!)
If you are able to see Swan Lake while it’s at the Boston Opera House, I highly recommend getting your tickets as soon as possible, as shows are filling up quickly:
Tickets
Tickets are available at bostonballet.org with performances running through March 13, 2025. You can get $45 tickets with promo code BRIT45 at checkout for select dates.
(This isn’t an affiliate link—Boston Ballet simply set it up for me to share with my followers.)
