Earlier this month, we presented Ib Andersen’s Swan Lake at the Knight Theater, and it was an incredibly rewarding experience! Charlotte Ballet I, Charlotte Ballet II, Charlotte Ballet Academy’s Pre-Professional Trainees and a handful of Charlotte Ballet Academy students joined together on stage to make up the lively corps de ballet. Another extra special aspect of this production was the accompaniment of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, who brought Tchaikovsky’s iconic score to life for our dancers and audience members.
If you weren’t able to join us for Swan Lake, here’s what you missed!
Over the course of our two weeks of performances, we welcomed almost 9,000 audience members to the Knight Theater to experience Swan Lake, and it has been amazing to hear how much this production resonated with our audiences.
Click here to read the Cultural Voice of North Carolina’s review!
It was an honor to be joined by the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra for these performances, led by renowned conductor Gavriel Heine! The orchestra played a crucial role in bringing this ballet to life and it would not have been the same without their accompaniment. The performance of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra at Swan Lake was made possible by generous gifts from Susan and Loy McKeithen & Jane and Hugh McColl.
First Company Dancers Evelyn Robinson and Isabella Franco made their Odette/Odile debuts, and looked absolutely stunning while doing it! In addition to our outstanding dancers, Angelica Generosa of Pacific Northwest Ballet joined us to dance the role of Odette/Odile for select performances. Audience members were left in awe of each of our leading ladies’ performances (and their many many foutté turns!).
Evelyn Robinson photographed by Taylor Jones. Isabella Franco photographed by Rick Belden. Angelica Generosa photographed by Angela Sterling.
First Company Dancers Oliver Oguma and Lorenzo Dunton made their Prince Siegfried debuts! In addition, acclaimed ballet dancer from the American Ballet Theater, Daniil Simkin, joined us to dance the role of Siegfried for select performances alongside Angelica Generosa. Each dancer embodied this beloved lead role in their own artistic ways and it was an absolute pleasure to witness their talents in such a demanding role.
Oliver Oguma photographed by Taylor Jones. Lorenzo Dunton photographed by Rick Belden. Daniil Simkin photographed for NYC Dance Project.
Three familiar faces made special appearances on stage in the role of Queen Mother! Academy Director Ayisha McMillan Cravotta and Charlotte Ballet Academy faculty members, Heather Ferguson and Jamie Dee Clifton, all joined the production in the role of Queen Mother. It was a pleasure to see them grace the stage as Swan Lake royalty.
Ayisha McMillan Cravotta and Heather Ferguson photographed by Jeff Cravotta. Jamie Dee Clifton photographed by Richard Israel.
First Company Dancer James Kopecky took his final bow on the Knight Theater stage, as he will be retiring after the season ends. James has been with Charlotte Ballet for an outstanding 9 seasons, and his presence on and off stage will be missed dearly. You can still see James perform in Choreographic Workshop: FLIP at our Center for Dance, June 6-8!
Photo by Taylor Jones.
To every one of our audience members who joined us for Swan Lake, we want to say thank you! The energy in the theater was unmatched with excitement and anticipation during each performance, and we could not be more grateful for your support of Charlotte Ballet.
If you enjoyed your time at Swan Lake, we encourage you to subscribe to our 2024/2025 Season: Unfiltered! Our next season will bring an outstanding lineup of performances, both new and back by popular demand, that are sure to be impactful and unforgettable. Enhance your Charlotte Ballet experience by subscribing today. We hope to see you there!
