When Was Swan Lake First Shown At The Bolshoi?

Swan Lake was a ballet composed in 1875-76 by the Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893). It premiered at Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre Company on February 27, 1877.

It was originally called 'The Lake of the Swans' when it was first presented as a Ballet of the Bolshoi Theatre. The ballet is presented in three acts and four scenes in Russia and eastern Europe, but an extra act has been added when the ballet troupe travels and performs outside Russia and eastern Europe. Tchaikovsky has adapted the ballet from a libretto originally composed by Vladimir Begichev and Vasily Geltser, which, in turn, has been adapted from an ancient German legend. The plot revolves around Princess Odette, who was turned into a swan by the curse of an evil sorcerer. The original music score for the ballet was composed by Tchaikovsky himself, and the choreographer for the original version was Julius Reisinger.