The Dying Swan

• Choreographer: Mikhail Fokine
• Music: "Le Cygne" from Le Carnaval des Animaux, by Camille Saint-Saëns
• PBT Performance Date: April 29, 1971; June 5-12, 1971; September 10-13, 2020. Open Air Series utilizing PBT mobile stage erected at PBT studio parking lot, Pittsburgh, PA

Program Notes

Mikhail Fokine (of the Ballet Russes de Monte Carlo) choreographed The Dying Swan in 1905  for legendary ballerina Anna Pavlova. The beautifully expressive choreography – and Pavlova’s interpretation of it – marked a new emphasis on artistry and emotion (versus technique) in ballet. The Dying Swan is not connected to Swan Lake, though many ballerinas have incorporated Pavlova’s fluid arm movements in their characterization of Swan Lake’s Odette.