FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hong Kong Ballet’s Thrilling 2023/24 Season Finale
Swan Lake Tells a Timeless Tale of Good vs Evil
Choreography by Yuri Possokhov (World Premiere)
[Hong Kong—29 April 2024] Hong Kong Ballet (HKB) proudly presents the world premiere of a dazzling new Swan Lake from San Francisco Ballet Resident Choreographer Yuri Possokhov during 31 May - 9 June with nine performances at Hong Kong Cultural Centre’s Grand Theatre. International guest artists Matthew Ball, Principal Dancer at The Royal Ballet, and Constantine Allen, Principal Dancer at Dutch National Ballet, will play the role of young Prince Siegfried, and audiences will enjoy Tchaikovsky’s timeless score performed live by Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Lio Kuokman. Tickets are available now at URBTIX.
Possokhov explains, ‘Swan Lake is a timeless classic not only because of the universal appeal of its story but also the masterful Tchaikovsky score. My hope is to refresh the work with a distinct new language and inspire a new generation to see this iconic work in a new light.’
An enchanting tale of love overcoming evil, this beloved classical ballet has delighted generations of ballet fans and is reimagined with Possokhov's trademark energy and sophisticated choreography. During a chance encounter in the woods, Prince Siegfried becomes smitten with gentle White Swan Odette, and it's a heart-pounding race against time to break the evil sorcerer Von Rothbart's curse before the cunning Black Swan Odile prevails. One of ballet's most technically and emotionally demanding roles, Odette/Odile is the ultimate test for a ballerina to seamlessly embody Odette's guileless innocence and Odile's manipulative seductiveness. Set to Tchaikovsky's poignant, soaring score, this captivating tale of rapture, betrayal and redemption will inspire wonder with its sublime dancing, stunning sets and costumes and internationally renowned guest artists.
HKB Artistic Director Septime Webre shares, ‘Yuri Possokhov brings his trademark bold approach to this new Swan Lake. With his deep understanding of classical traditions, he has a fresh, modern approach to the new dances for Acts 1 and 3, and his approach to the psychology of Prince Siegfried adds a layer of depth to the storytelling which will resonate with audiences. This is a Swan Lake brimming with emotional power and breathtaking surprises. We’re thrilled!’
Featuring a powerhouse cast, Swan Lake is a world-class production staged by an accomplished creative team with numerous accolades. Set, Lighting & Video Designer Alexander V Nichols has recieved a San Francisco Certificate of Honor, four Isadora Duncan Awards, four Bay Area Critics Circle Awards and three Dean Goodman Awards, while Costume Designer Sandra Woodall is the recipient of three Isadora Duncan Awards for Costume Design in 1996 and 1997 and for Visual Design in 1991. Guest Stager Christopher Stowell performed with San Francisco Ballet for 16 years and has taught ballet in San Francisco, New York, Japan, China and Europe.
About Yuri Possokhov
After training at Bolshoi Ballet Academy, Yuri Possokhov performed with the Bolshoi Ballet for a decade and two years with the Royal Danish Ballet before joining San Francisco Ballet (SF Ballet) as a principal dancer in 1994. He retired from the stage in 2006 and became SF Ballet’s choreographer in residence that same year. In addition to creating ballets for SF Ballet, he also choreographed works for the Bolshoi Ballet, Georgian National Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet and more. He has created five full-length ballets for the Bolshoi Ballet: Cinderella, A Hero of Our Time, Nureyev, Seagull and Pique Dame, receiving the prestigious Benois de la Danse awards for three of them.
About Matthew Ball
Matthew, born in Liverpool, joined The Royal Ballet School at age 11. He progressed through the ranks, becoming a Principal Dancer in 2018. Matthew has collaborated with renowned choreographers like Wayne McGregor, Crystal Pite, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. He has also choreographed his own work, including (Re)Current for The Royal Ballet and a commercial campaign for ‘Xiaomi.’ Recently he has branched into different fields working on several fashion and film projects including two dance shorts with Pennefather productions co-starring with Francesca Hayward and Natalia Osipova and 'Tybalt' in the feature length film 'Romeo and Juliet Beyond Words'.
About Constantine Allen
Born in Indiana, US, Constantine Allen joined Stuttgart Ballett in 2012, became principal dancer the following year and later joined Dutch National Ballet as a principal dancer in 2018. At HKB’s International Gala of Stars 2023, he danced the dramatic Black Swan pas de deux as Prince Siegfried with HKB principal dancer Wang Qingxin to thunderous applause.
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Creative Team
Choreography: Yuri Possokhov (after Petipa and Ivanov)
Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Set, Lighting & Video Design: Alexander V. Nichols
Video Design Assistant: Ahren Buhmann
Costume Design: Sandra Woodall
Assistant to Costume Designer: Birgit Pfeffer
Guest Stager: Christopher Stowell
Guest Appearance
Live Orchestra: Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: Lio Kuokman
Matthew Ball
Principal Dancer, The Royal Ballet
Performing on 31.5.2024 at 7:30pm and 2.6.2024 at 7:30pm
Constantine Allen
Principal Dancer, Dutch National Ballet
Performing on 1 & 7.6.2024 at 7:30pm and 9.6.2024 at 2:30pm
Swan Lake
31.5.2024 (Fri) 7:30pm
1-2.6.2024 (Sat-Sun) 2:30pm and 7:30pm
7.6.2024 (Fri) 7:30pm
8.6.2024 (Sat) 2:30pm and 7:30pm
9.6.2024 (Sun) 2:30pm
Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
$1,000 (limited VIP tickets), $680, $480, $320, $180
Ages 6 and above
For interviews and further information, please contact:
Jerry Qiu | Communications & Programme Manager | T: 21059753 / 68796734 | [email protected]
Ruth Chung | Senior Marketing and PR Officer | T: 21059716 / 97417319 | [email protected]
About Hong Kong Ballet
Hong Kong Ballet (HKB) is internationally recognised as a world-class institution which represents Hong Kong’s unique character. Since its inception in 1979, HKB has evolved into a vibrant performing arts organisation with a dynamic repertoire, forward-thinking community engagement initiatives and an emphasis on excellence.
With nearly 50 dancers from all over the globe, HKB has won recognition both regionally and internationally. With celebrated re-stagings of the classics, neoclassical masterworks by George Balanchine and original ballets created for HKB and about Hong Kong. Additionally, HKB performs works by some of today’s most sought-after choreographers, including Alexei Ratmansky, Christopher Wheeldon, Wayne McGregor, Justin Peck, Jiří Kylian, Nacho Duato and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa as well as dynamic new works by HKB's Choreographer-in-Residence Ricky Hu Song-wei, Yuh Egami, as well as numerous emerging Hong Kong choreographers.
With almost 50 tours to 11 countries, HKB most recently toured Europe, Mainland China and the US. In addition to its performances on stage at home and abroad, HKB maintains a full schedule of community engagement initiatives and crossover collaborations throughout Hong Kong to ensure ballet is accessible to all. HKB has also produced original videos and dance films that have collectively garnered over 5.2 million views online, connecting with ballet lovers worldwide.
