The Shanghai Ballet announced in a press conference yesterday that they will stage the classic ballet Swan Lake at the Macau Cultural Centre (CCM) this Friday and Saturday as part of the 36th Macao Arts Festival (MAF).
During the press conference, main dancers and artistic leaders gave insights into the production, discussing character interpretation, technical demands and the challenges of bringing one of ballet’s most celebrated works to the stage.
According to a recent statement by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC), the production is choreographed by British dancer and choreographer Derek Deane, featuring music by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893).
According to the ballet, the adaptation combines elaborate costumes, refined stage design and an expanded corps de ballet to create a “visually striking” interpretation of the classic story.
Speaking at the presser, Swan Lake Artistic Director Xin Lili and Director Ji Pingping were joined by main dancers Qi Bingxue, Feng Zichun, Xu Jingkun and Tu Hanbin.
Qi, who performs the dual roles of Odette and Odile, said that portraying the White Swan remains particularly challenging due to the character’s graceful and delicate movements. She also said that achieving the softness required in the arm movements, which symbolise the swan’s wings, demands extensive practice and self-adjustment. By contrast, she found the Black Swan role more natural to perform because of its stronger and more dramatic personality.
Meanwhile, Feng, who also plays both swans, highlighted the stark contrast between the two characters, describing the White Swan as fragile, restrained and emotionally subtle, while the Black Swan is confident, aggressive and immediately commands attention on stage, noting that performing both roles requires both dancers to balance emotional expression with the physical demands of ballet.
Meanwhile, Xu and Tu discussed the complexities of portraying Prince Siegfried. They noted that the role requires both dancers to maintain a noble, dignified stage presence while conveying the prince’s loneliness, longing for love, despair, and eventual heartbreak. Furthermore, the character experiences rapidly shifting emotions throughout the ballet, making emotional expression one of the role’s greatest challenges alongside its technical requirements.
The Shanghai Ballet’s performances of Swan Lake will take place at 8 p.m. this Friday and Saturday at CCM’s Grand Auditorium in Nape.
Yesterday, tickets were still available. Tickets prices range between 150 and 400 patacas.
The Shanghai Ballet troupe – (from left to right) Tu Hanbin, Qi Bingxue, Ji Pingping, Xin Lili, Feng Zichun, and Xu Jingkun pose after the Swan Lake press conference at the Macau Cultural Centre (CCM) in Nape yesterday. – Photo: Khalel Vallo
