Swan Lake Ballet Highlights Tickets at Broadway Theatre Prague

Swan Lake: the ballet and the story

Swan Lake is one of the world's best-loved ballets, with music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. It tells of Prince Siegfried, who falls in love with Odette, a princess turned into a swan by the sorcerer Rothbart, and of the trick that puts the spell at risk when Rothbart's daughter Odile arrives in disguise. Little is known about the original 1877 production; the version most people know comes from the 1895 revival by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov.

This highlights production condenses the story into selected scenes, so you follow the whole tale in a length that suits first-time ballet-goers and families. The programme is subject to change, but the best of Swan Lake in Prague is always built around Tchaikovsky's music.

The cast and the music

The performance features top dancers and soloists from Prague's leading ballet companies, including National Theatre soloists, in the roles of Odette and Odile, Prince Siegfried, Rothbart, the Prince's mother, the Clown and the ballet company. Tchaikovsky's score drives every scene, from the gentle lakeside melodies to the brilliant ball music.

Even if you have never seen a ballet, Swan Lake is a good place to start: the story is easy to follow through movement, and the music is familiar from films and concerts. Expect classical technique, elegant costumes and the graceful ensemble of swans.

The Broadway Theatre in central Prague

The Broadway Theatre is a modern three-storey theatre built from a former cinema beneath the Broadway arcade, a functionalist building between Na Příkopě and Celetná streets. It was designed by Bohumír Kozák and Antonín Černý and built in 1936 to 1938, and it counts among the largest functionalist buildings in Prague's Old Town.

For anyone asking how to get to the theatre, it is a few minutes' walk from Wenceslas Square, Old Town Square and the Powder Tower, and the metro stations Můstek (lines A and B) and Náměstí Republiky (line B) are close. Your booking confirmation gives the theatre address and entrance.

Choosing your seats and planning your evening

Category C is open seating in stalls rows 21 to 26. Category B is open seating in stalls rows 16 to 20 and the main balcony rows 1 to 7. Category A has reserved seats in stalls rows 1 to 4 and 11 to 15 and in the balcony lodges left and right. The VIP Category has reserved seats in stalls rows 5 to 10, with the best view in the house. In open-seating categories, arrive 30 minutes early for the best seats.

The performance starts in the evening and lasts 105 minutes including a 15-minute interval. There is no dress code, although elegant dress is welcome. Flash photography and video recording are not allowed, and the cloakroom and booster seats for children are not included. The booking panel shows the current price for each category.