Swan Lake debuted on March 4, 1877, at Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre but was initially criticized for its complex music and choreography. In the renowned 1895 production of Swan Lake, Lev Ivanov choreographed Acts II and IV (the "white acts"), while Marius Petipa choreographed Acts I and III. This rendition, faithful to Tchaikovsky's vision, became the most performed version. Inspired by German and Slavic folk tales,Swan Lake tells the story of a swan-princess, symbolizing strength, elegance, and purity. The ballet's American debut was in 1940 by the San Francisco Ballet.

This marks the highly anticipated premiere of Swan Lake in Charlottesville Ballet's repertoire, bringing this iconic and timeless ballet to life for the first time on our stage. We are delighted to have Caitlin Lennon, Charlottesville Ballet's Director of Repertoire, and Pedro Szalay, Artistic Director of Southwest Virginia Ballet, partnering to bring this ballet to life on stage.

The Firebird ballet debuted in 1910, created by composer Igor Stravinsky, choreographer Michel Fokine, and Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes in Paris. Inspired by Russian folk tales, it was a fresh and daring work that broke away from traditional ballet. Stravinsky's exciting music and Fokine’s unconventional choreography, which focused on expressive movements instead of stiff, formal poses, made the ballet stand out. The Firebird helped set the stage for future groundbreaking ballets and played a key role in changing the world of dance, making Stravinsky and Diaghilev major figures in modern art.

Charlottesville Ballet premiered its signature version of The Firebird in 2015, revisited it in 2017, and is now excited to bring a revamped 2025 production, choreographed by Sara Clayborne.