For the first time in almost 30 years SA’s two leading classical ballet companies join forces to present one of the great ballet classics in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Joburg Ballet and Cape Town City Ballet perform the legendary classic, Swan Lake, for ten performances at the Joburg Theatre from 4 to 13 July and for four performances at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from 25 to 27 July, bringing together the dancers of both companies to present the world’s most famous ballet on a grand scale seldom seen in SA. The Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra plays Tchaikovsky’s iconic Swan Lake score for the Johannesburg season while a specially assembled orchestra will play for the ballet during the Cape Town season. Close on 150 years after its first performance in 1877, this saga of love and betrayal remains at the pinnacle of classical ballet, performed by ballet companies around the world, its leading role danced by the greatest ballerinas of every generation.
Representing Joburg Ballet in the roles of Odette-Odile and Prince Siegfried will be Monike Cristina and Bruno Miranda, Tammy Higgins and Revil Yon, and Ryoko Yagyu and Ivan Domiciano. Cape Town City Ballet’s casting features Kirstel Paterson and Leusson Muniz, Hannah Ward and Jerome Barnes, and Sasha Barnes and Isabella Redman sharing the role of Odette-Odile opposite Leusson Muniz. Alternating in the role of the evil Von Rothbart will be CTCB’s Axton Green and Joburg Ballet’s Gabriel Fernandes and David Maluleka.
The production of Swan Lake the two companies are presenting was originally staged in Cape Town by French dancer Attilio Labis in 1971. Acclaimed SA choreographer Veronica Paeper will be responsible for the 2025 restaging.
The orchestra will not be playing for the mid-week morning matinees.
CASTING INFORMATION
Joburg Theatre, Johannesburg
Friday 4 July at 19h00: Monike Cristina, Bruno Miranda, Gabriel Fernandes
Saturday 5 July at 14h00: Tammy Higgins, Revil Yon, Gabriel Fernandes
Saturday 5 July at 19h00: Kirstel Paterson, Leusson Muniz, Axton Green
Sunday 6 July at 14h00: Hannah Ward, Jerome Barnes, David Maluleka
Wednesday 9 July at 11h00: Kirstel Paterson, Leusson Muniz, Axton Green
Thursday 10 July at 11h00: Monike Cristina, Bruno Miranda, Gabriel Fernandes
Friday 11 July at 19h00: Tammy Higgins, Revil Yon, Gabriel Fernandes
Saturday 12 July at 14h00: Ryoko Yagyu, Ivan Domiciano, David Maluleka
Saturday 12 July at 19h00: Hannah Ward, Jerome Barnes, Axton Green
Sunday 13 July at 14h00: Sasha Barnes, Isabella Redman, Leusson Muniz, Axton Green
Cape Town International Convention Centre
Friday 25 July at 19h00: Kirstel Paterson, Leusson Muniz, Axton Green
Saturday 26 July at 14h00: Tammy Higgins, Revil Yon, Gabriel Fernandes
Saturday 26 July at 19h00: Hannah Ward, Jerome Barnes, Axton Green
Sunday 27 July at 14h00: Ryoko Yagyu, Ivan Domiciano, David Maluleka
