BALLET DE BARCELONA
Swan Lake
A timeless masterpiece. A new Swan Lake.
Artistic and Executive Director: Chase Johnsey
Choreography: Chase Johnsey & Anna Ishii
Music: Tchaikovsky
Costumes: Chase Johnsey, Montse Ricard
Scenography: Alessio Meloni
Lighting Design/Technical Direction: Sergio Gracia
Artistic and Executive Director: Chase Johnsey
Ballet Master: Leandro Pérez Sanabria
“La versión… resulta sorprendente y atrevida.”
— Carmen del Val, EL PAÍS
“El cuerpo de baile realizó una impecable ejecución, exhibiendo una gran cohesión como grupo.”
— Carmen del Val, EL PAÍS
“Una perfecta fusión de estilo.”
— Cristina Marinero, Opera World
Ballet de Barcelona first presented Act II of Swan Lake in 2021, challenging one of classical ballet’s most established traditions: that the world of the swans must be defined by gender.
Artistic Director Chase Johnsey danced Odette, approaching the role not as parody or reinterpretation, but as the classical White Swan — with the same vulnerability, musicality and dramatic weight traditionally given to the role.
Around Odette, the production created a mixed-gender corps de ballet, casting dancers for their artistry rather than according to the traditional division between male and female roles. The production also featured male dancers as the two Big Swans.
The idea was simple: a swan does not need a gender to represent beauty, fragility, strength or transformation.
About the Production
The production retained the classical language and identity of Swan Lake while questioning who is allowed to inhabit it.
Critics responded strongly. EL PAÍS described Johnsey’s Odette as a “delicate and moving interpretation”, highlighting his precise technique, while Opera World described the performance as a “perfect fusion of style” and an androgynous interpretation of the iconic White Swan.
First presented at Teatre Condal, Barcelona, in June 2021, this Act II became the foundation from which Ballet de Barcelona’s new full-length Swan Lake would eventually grow.
