Swan Lake with the PBT Orchestra
- Date: May 6 - May 15, 2022
- Venue: Benedum Center
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Classical precision, superb storytelling and Tchaikovsky’s seminal score collide to create one of ballet’s most iconic works of art. The beautiful Odette, cursed to live as a swan, meets the prince who could break the spell – but the wicked Von Rothbart has plans of his own. Artistic Director Susan Jaffe’s own acclaimed history culminates in a stunning new Swan Lake.
Choreographed by Susan Jaffe after the original version by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov | Music by Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Photos with the Swan Queen are back!
Join us in the lower lobby 45 minutes before each performance and during both intermissions to have your photo taken with the Swan Queen! No registration necessary. Proceeds benefit PBT School.
Take a deeper dive into Swan Lake with the PBT Orchestra before you see the show!
- Discover the meaning behind Artistic Director Susan Jaffe’s new choreography.
- Read the cast list to discover who will bring these iconic roles to life.
- Go behind the scenes of this new production on our blog.
- Watch the trailer.
- Learn more about Susan Jaffe’s impressive career and plans for PBT’s future in this video from WQED!
- Explore the story, costumes and history of the ballet with PBT’s audience guide to the ballet.
Performance Times
- Friday, May 6, 2022 – 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, May 7, 2022 – 2 p.m.
- Saturday, May 7, 2022 – 7:30 p.m.
- Sunday, May 8, 2022 – 2 p.m. – Mother’s Day
- Friday, May 13, 2022 – 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, May 14, 2022 – 2 p.m.
- Saturday, May 14, 2022 – 7:30 p.m.
- Sunday, May 15, 2022 – 2 p.m.
Theater Programs
Join us online and at the theater to learn more about the production!
Reconsidering Swan Lake: Culture and Context | Wednesday, May 4 | 12 p.m.
Live on Zoom. Natalie Rouland, Ph.D., Scholar-in-Residence, Washington Ballet, and Nancy Condee, Ph.D., Director, Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies, University of Pittsburgh, discuss the cultural meaning of Swan Lake in Russian politics and ideological history. This program is part of a two-part series, Swan Lake’s Global Moment – more information below. Register here.
Dance the Story | Thursday, May 5 | 5:30 p.m.
Live on Zoom. Introduce children to the ballet with this movement-based story time! Registration required – please click here to sign up! You’ll receive a Zoom link for the program.
Virtual Preview | Thursday, May 5 | 7 p.m. – “The Fascinating History of Swan Lake: the World’s Most Beloved Ballet”
Live on Zoom. Get a fantastic primer before you get to the Benedum with dance historian and New York Times #1 bestselling author Elizabeth Kaye.* Performance tickets not required. Register here.
Director’s Cut | Friday, May 6 | 6:30 p.m.
At the Benedum. Join us on opening night for a conversation between noted dance historian Elizabeth Kaye and Artistic Director Susan Jaffe about Jaffe’s new choreography of this iconic ballet. Space is limited! Registration requested – please click here to sign up!
ViewPointe | Saturday, May 7 | 6:30 p.m.
At the Benedum. PBT Music Director and Principal Conductor Charles Barker previews Swan Lake with a look at ballet’s most transcendent score. Registration requested – please click here to sign up!
Ballet Warm-up | Sunday, May 8 | 1 p.m.
At the Benedum. Join us to watch the last few minutes of company class and talk with Principal Dancer Alejandro Diaz about the role of Siegfried. No registration necessary – just come to the theater a few minutes early and our ushers will guide you to the program.
Dancer Q&A | Sunday, May 8 | after the performance
At the Benedum. Talk with retiring Principal Dancer Alexandra Kochis about Swan Lake and her 16-year career at PBT. No registration necessary – come to the front of the orchestra section after the performance.
“Cultural Exchange and Global Conflict: Swan Lake and Beyond” | Wednesday, May 11 | 12 p.m.
Live on Zoom. With panelists Adriana Helbig, Ph.D., Chair, Music Department, University of Pittsburgh and Dance Alloy co-founder Elsa Limbach, and moderated by journalist Mila Sanina, MS. We will look at the role of the arts as cultural export in the context of Russia’s war on Ukraine, with a focus on the experience of marginalized groups and artists during global conflict. This program is part of a two-part series, Swan Lake’s Global Moment – more information below. Register here.
Swan Lake’s Global Moment
Co-hosted by Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and World Affairs Council Pittsburgh, the programs in this series examine Swan Lake as a cultural touchpoint in the context of Russia’s current war on Ukraine, as well as the role of artistic performance in cultural exchange and global conflict.
* Photo: Rosalie O’Connor