Ankara State Opera and Ballet (ADOB) artists will perform "Swan Lake," one of the most iconic works of classical ballet, for art enthusiasts at the ATO Congresium in the Turkish capital Ankara on April 1-2.
Composed by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, "Swan Lake" tells the story of the love between Odette, who is turned into a swan by a magician and can only become human again with the love of a man, and Prince Siegfried. The piece has since been exhibited thousands of times around the world after its first debut at the Bolshoi Ballet in 1877.
The ballet, which premiered in Turkey in Ankara on Oct. 29, 1965, was reinterpreted by choreographers Volkan Ersoy and Armağan Davran before the COVID-19 pandemic and was staged by ADOB artists.
After garnering a lot of attention with its original debut, the reinterpretation will reunite with audiences this season with the very first performance at ATO Congresium.
Choreographer Volkan Ersoy told Anadolu Agency (AA) that they interpreted the four-act piece as two acts, explaining: "We brought this ballet to the stage in 2019 with a brand-new style, with a new understanding, by making arrangements in many parts." Highlighting that before the COVID-19 pandemic, all of their performances were sold out, Ersoy said, "It is very exciting to restart this adventure with the ADOB dancers after the pandemic."
Former State Opera and Ballet General Manager Meriç Sümen, who performed in the leading role as the principal dancer in the debut performance of "Swan Lake" in Turkey, is among the trainers working on the reinterpretation. Stressing how lucky the team is to have Sümen on their side, Ersoy said: "She is our older sister, our primadonna, the first swan. It is so invaluable to have her here, sharing all her experiences by contributing to our performance."
While underlining the place and power "Swan Lake" holds in classical ballet, Sümen explained that she performed in the piece 350 times both in Turkey and abroad. "You can't get enough of watching or performing it," she added.
Expressing their excitement to be taking the performance to a big stage with a capacity of 3,000 people, Sümen invited all art enthusiasts to the show. "The ballet is one of the most beautiful works in the world. Do not leave my children alone. They will need your applause."