What a treat for the senses this performance was. The packed first night audience were riveted by the wonderful Odette, danced to perfection by Monica Perego. From her fearful first meeting with Prince Siegfried which softened to love, and then her performance of the cunning Odile. Her swan-like fluid arms will stay in the memory for ever as she fluttered so sensitively on the stage. As Odile it was hard to believe it was the same dancer. Gone was the timidity and here was a self-confident woman who knew what to do to fool the Prince. Her wonderful classic dancing was warmly received by the audience.

The sets were superb and opened in a wonderful glow of late summer in the Palace courtyard. The Great Hall was created to be vast and opulent with wonderful perspective, tapestries, candelabras and the cloister courtyard
where poor Odette was seen frantic as she saw her love being fooled by the wicked Rothbart and Odile. The corps de ballet were exhuberant in their performance of the townsfolk, elegant as Courtiers and sensitive as the swans. There were stagefuls of ethereal white swans quivering their
feathers with precise little steps in total harmony and grace. The suite of dances from Spain and Russia and Italy were authenically presented in the Great Hall, watched by the rest of the troupe. They were dressed in beautifully subtle tones of scarlet and emerald, overlaid with rich old gold. Nothing garish here, just pure elegance. The Queen with her Master of Ceremonies, Rothbart and couriers sat intent watching their performers in the castle forming a soft gilded tableau. The lake scene at the end with the sleeping swans like shells opening up through the misty over lake was so beautifully choreographed.

As ever the men gave powerful performances. You felt Patrick Armands' Prince's delight in finding a true love approved of by the Court as he powered over the stage and then his panic at losing her. Rothbart brought menace and threat to the atmosphere with every appearance and you could not wait for him to get his cumuppance!

The wonderful dance music in the opening scene in the courtyard set the music's high standard. Then the classic refrain wafted over us and told us that the swans were coming and all the wonderful and Tchaikovsky music
flowed over us for the rest of the performance. The harp added a wonderful touch.

What talent, what an evening!

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