Lac

Audiences often associate Swan Lake with its Act II, a stalwart of the classical repertoire so powerfully identifiable by the whiteness of its choreography accompanied by Tchaikovsky's legendary score. Act II of Swan Lake can be considered as one of the first abstract ballets. A ballet to be contemplated without worrying about what is being said.

LAC by Jean-Christophe Maillot is another narrative ballet. In Swan Lake, everything is obscure, complicated and rich in meaning... Tchaikovsky himself came up with the idea of writing a symphonic ballet about a human creature whose metamorphosis would make any love impossible. The creation of the swan, from Greek, Nordic and Russian legends, makes it a fascinating hybrid being from its very conception.

In collaboration with the writer Jean Rouaud, Jean-Christophe Maillot revives the torments of a story connected to our nightmares. These buried experiences are resurrected and combined against a Machiavellian, family backdrop used to present a ballet of contrasts. The change from animal into human being infuses the entire work and questions our own nature. We believe that we differ from animals because of our ability to make choices. But is this all we are capable of? Are we not after all just as lost as this Prince? Jean-Christophe Maillot shows him faltering between white and black, good and evil, innocence and eroticism. Perhaps our humanity ultimately lies in this unsophisticated insatiability that defines us from our first cry - We want everything!

“Maillot and his dramastic collaborator, the author Jean Rouaud, have worked hard to forge the classic “Swan Lake” into something different, something in tune with the modern world, something suitable for a contemporary ballet choreographer.” NEW-YORK DANCE STUFF (2014)

"This version of Lake is a turning point in the history of dance, a soaring feat of almost lyrical proportions, with room still for restraint and nuance. It will undoubtedly remain a dazzling memory for all (…)." FIGARO MAGAZINE (2013)

“(…) Tchaikovsky’s extremely emotional score is used to great effect, mirrored by Maillot’s intelligent choreography.” DANCE EUROPE (2011)

Choreography: Jean-Christophe Maillot
Music: Piotr Tchaïkovski
Scenography: Ernest Pignon-Ernest
Costumes: Philippe Guillotel
Dramaturgy: Jean Rouaud
Additional music: Bertrand Maillot
Lighting: Jean-Christophe Maillot and Samuel Thery
Duration: 1h35

With the participation of the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Nicolas Brochot

Premiere held on December 27th 2011, Grimaldi Forum Monaco