I am a huge ballet fan. There’s something so glorious about it – ballet dancers are so incredibly talented.
So, on Saturday, the Boy and I headed into London to watch the English National Ballet perform Swan Lake at the ENO London Coliseum.
I’d actually never seen Swan Lake performed live before, and after seeing Black Swan (amazing film – if you haven’t see it, I urge you too), and realising that the storyline was much more involved than I had anticipated, I decided it was a must.
For those of you who don’t know the Coliseum, it’s located on St Martin’s Lane, inbetween Leicester Square underground station and Covent Garden. From the outside it looks like this >>>
Whilst the inside looks like this in all it’s ornate grandeur >>>>
Photography is not allowed during the performance (and yes, they take this very seriously) so I have’t got any pictures to show you of the performance itself. However, here’s a taster vid from last years performance.
If you’re not sure if ballet is your thing, I recommend starting with the much more light-hearted, and shorter, The Nutcracker. This is also by Tchaikovsky, and a Christmas favourite, so look out for a performance during the festive period to really get you into the Christmas spirit.
Another reason to give it a go – the price. It’s quite widely believed that tickets to the ballet will cost you an arm and a leg but they start at a mere £10 – yes that’s right – about the same as a cinema ticket. And in my opiion, much better value for money.
If you’re quick, Swan Lake will be at the ENO until 11th August before it’s taken on tour around the country. But don’t despair, it returns regularly and there’s plenty more to see. Check out what else is on here.
