Matthew Bourne’s all-male ‘Swan Lake’ returns to Korea for 30th anniversary

Matthew Bourne’s groundbreaking "Swan Lake" — the ballet that catapulted the British choreographer to international fame — is returning to Korea for the first time in six years to mark its 30th anniversary.

Reimagined with a menacing and powerful male ensemble of swans in place of the traditional female corps de ballet, the production has garnered both critical acclaim and popular attention worldwide. Since its Korean debut in 2005, the production has been staged four times in the country, drawing over 100,000 theatergoers.

LG Arts Center said Sunday that it will host 16 performances of the anniversary production from June 18 to 29.

Premiered in 1995, Bourne’s "Swan Lake" transposes the ballet’s classical setting to a contemporary royal court of a dysfunctional family. It follows the emotional journey of a young Prince struggling with identity, desire and his complex relationship with the Swan — a symbol of the freedom and love he yearns for.

Set to Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, the ballet moves between the Prince’s dreamlike fantasies and grim realities, traversing shadowy London backstreets, glittering palace ballrooms and a mysterious moonlit lake.

The striking image of muscular, bare-chested male swans in shredded, feathered trousers — performing choreography that is both powerful and sensual — remains one of the production’s most unforgettable scenes.

The production has since become the most successful dance theater work of all time, holding the record as the longest-running full-length dance classic in both the West End and on Broadway, according to the LG Arts Center.

The 30th-anniversary staging comes under the banner of “Next Generation,” highlighting the emergence of the company’s rising stars.

"As our swans take flight once more in this major revival, I’m full of anticipation for the challenges it will bring for our next generation of dancers and the wonder that it will bring to audiences who will experience it for the very first time," Bourne said in a press release.

Taking on the lead role of the Swan are Jackson Fisch and Rory Macleod — both of whom appeared in Bourne's "Romeo and Juliet" at LG Arts Center Seoul last year — as well as Harrison Dowzell, a star performer with New Adventures since 2019.

Returning to the stage as the Prince are James Lovell, Stephen Murray and Leonardo McCorkindale, all of whom starred in the 2019 "Swan Lake" in Korea.