Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake

Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake is a contemporary ballet based on the Russian romantic work Swan Lake, from which it takes the music by Tchaikovsky and the broad outline of the plot. The ballet centres on a prince who feels trapped by his duties and emotionally neglected by his distant mother. At the peak of his despair, he meets a swan that embodies his desire for freedom and love. Bourne's interpretation is best known for having the traditionally female parts of the swans danced by men. Produced by Adventures in Motion Pictures with Bourne as director and choreographer, the original ballet premiered in London at Sadler's Wells Theatre on 9 November 1995 and ran until 25 November. The original cast included Scott Ambler as the Prince, Adam Cooper as the Swan and the Stranger, Emily Piercy as the Prince's Girlfriend, and Fiona Chadwick as the Queen. The production received widespread critical acclaim and commercial success, and received the 1996 Olivier award for Best New Dance Production. The ballet has found significant popularity and commercial success worldwide, with Bourne's choice to use male swans hailed as radical and daring. As of 2026, it is the longest-running ballet in London's West End and on Broadway. It has been performed in the UK, the USA, Europe, Russia, Australia, South Korea, Japan, Israel, China and Singapore. To date, there have been three filmed stage productions, with the 1998 film featuring the original cast.