30 years on, Bourne’s Swan Lake still shines in Amsterdam

Jackson Fisch as The Swan and Stephen Murray as The Prince in Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake

Stephen Murray as The Prince with New Adventures in Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake

Molly Shaw Downie as The Hungarian Princess and Jackson Fisch as The Stranger in Swan Lake

Jackson Fisch as The Swan and Stephen Murray as The Prince with New Adventures in Swan Lake

By Mark Vicente, 31 October 2025

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“deliciously layered with British pantomime and a dose of nostalgia for Hollywood’s movie musical”

Reviewed at Koninklijk Theater Carré, Amsterdam on 30 October 2025

Swan Lake (Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov, Sir Matthew Bourne)

New Adventures

Sir Matthew Bourne, Director

Lez Brotherston, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Paule Constable, Lighting Designer

Jackson Fisch, Dancer

Stephen Murray, Dancer

Katrina Lyndon, Dancer

Bryony Wood, Dancer

National Ballet of Japan’s Raymonda is a feast of excellent dancing

Naomi Mori, 25th April

National Ballet of Japan’s Raymonda is a gem in the repertoire, despite shortcomings in the plot. Lavish production designs, stunning classical choreography and excellent dancers makes this a ballet lover's heaven.

*****

Acosta's Don Quixote for BRB: polished but not quite enough panache

Jonathan Gray, 23rd April

Carlos Acosta's Don Quixote for Birmingham Royal Ballet returned to Sadler's Wells with polished but low-key interpretations across the board.

***11

Natalia Makarova's La Bayadère: a night to remember in Oslo

Vikki Jane Vile, 17th April

Norwegian National Ballet gives a marvellous rendition of Natalia Makarova's La Bayadère. Opening night in Oslo was a strong argument for its place in any season, displaying ballet escapism at its best.

****1

José Martínez unveils his latest Don Quichotte in Palermo

Vito Lentini, 29th March

José Martínez has envisioned a Don Quichotte that recalls the original 19th century choreography while also acknowledging some of the notable 20th century versions and it's splendid looking.

****1

Dutch National Ballet's reimagined La Bayadère triumphs

Mark Vicente, 26th March

Dutch National Ballet's new production of La Bayadère does away with the ballet’s problematic gestures and movements, allowing the choreography to truly shine.

****1

American Ballet Theatre's double bill is short and sweet in New York

Ivy Lin, 15th March

American Ballet Theatre presents Balanchine's Raymonda: Grand Pas Hongrois and Ratmansky's Firebird which showcases the company well and provides a strong contrast.

****1

More reviews...

Mark Vicente

Mark Vicente hails from Montreal, Canada and has lived in Amsterdam for the last 10 years. He has over 30 years of experience in the arts and entertainment industry. Mark graduated from Canada’s National Ballet School and was in the corps de ballet with The National Ballet of Canada. He also performed in the Toronto production of Disney’s The Lion King and spent two seasons at The Stratford Festival of Canada. Presently, Mark is completing his MA in Comparative Cultural Analysis at the University of Amsterdam. His Substack, Lives After Dark, focuses on creative fiction and reflective essays on Amsterdam’s nightlife scene.