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Swan Lake
by Mel Johnson
It is often said that the role of Giselle is ballet's Hamlet. Swan Lake, on the other hand, is in a class by itself. It is rarely compared to anything else; other things are compared to it. It is the "gold standard" of classical ballets. Its great popularity gives it a resiliency and durability that allows choreographers great liberty (some would say license) in producing alternative versions, but the four-act Swan Lake was, and remains, the touchstone from which all others descend. -- mj
Inside Swan Lake