In 1995， Sir Matthew Bourne， a renowned British choreographer and director， created a new version of Swan Lake. The firmly established British artist， who is well-known for his innovation and creativity， named his own dance company “New Adventures.” Using Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s musical masterpiece created in the late 19th century， Bourne boldly adapted Swan Lake into a new production. The biggest difference between his version and previous staging was his all-male cast of swans. His version thus became known as the “all-male Swan Lake.”
　　Since its debut， this version of Swan Lake has maintained popularity in London’s West End and New York’s Broadway， winning more than 30 international awards. The production made Bourne the only British artist to win the Tony Awards for both Best Choreography and Best Direction of a Musical. The Tony Awards are considered the highest American theater honor， equivalent to the Oscars for film. However， when recalling his “careful” launch of the production more than two decades ago， Bourne admitted he had “no idea that the show would still be running decades later.” And he likely never imagined the love and enthusiasm Chinese spectators would bestow on his creative and unconventional interpretation of the classic ballet. In mid-August 2019， five years after its debut in China， Sir Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake returned to the country for a tour of the five Chinese cities of Shanghai， Harbin， Beijing， Xi’an and Guangzhou.
　　Unconventional Innovation
　　The all-male cast is only one of the two major innovations of Bourne’s Swan Lake. The other is a drastically different plot.


　　In Bourne’s Swan Lake， the story is set in the UK in the 1950s： The prince is living a boring and rigid life. Facing various frustrations including a bad relationship with his controlling mother， pressure of living in the royal family and a breakup with his girlfriend， the prince makes up his mind to commit suicide. Before he can complete the deed， he encounters a group of male swans. The prince is so deeply attracted to the beautiful and free-spirited principal swan that he regains hope for life. However， at a subsequent ball， a stranger resembling the principal swan wins over the queen with a slick， arrogant attitude while completely ignoring the prince. The devastated prince breaks down and dies the next morning. Upon hearing the news of the death of the prince， the principal swan commits suicide. 　　Some critics and ballet experts once used the word “carnage” to describe the changes to the original plot. However， Ian Wheatstone， tour manager of the new Swan Lake， told China Pictorial that the addition of realism to classic fairy tales and breaking past perfect character designs were both part of Sir Matthew Bourne’s realistic stage philosophy. Princes and princesses appeared frequently in classical ballets and usually ended up living“happily ever after.” However， Bourne’s modern adaptations interpret traditional characters from a completely new angle. When the princes and princesses face the same problems as ordinary people， they become as imperfect as regular folks and seem more real. Spectators see a weak and scandal-ridden prince in the new Swan Lake. The story’s setting in 1950s London creates an even stronger sense of reality for audience.


　　The all-male cast of swans is the most glaring breakthrough in this revival of Swan Lake. “In classical ballet， female dancers clearly occupy a dominant position，” noted Max Westwell， who danced as the principal swan in the China tour. He argued that the flock of menacing and masculine swans in Bourne’s staging better showcased the wild charm and power of the bird. Male swans wipe away images of ballerinas embedded into the psyche of dance lovers， and the production inspired young male dancers to set their sights on center stage.
　　Flourishing China-UK Cultural Exchange
　　For Chinese dance lovers and the wider public， Sir Matthew Bourne’s productions are becoming familiar. In 2014， the new Swan Lake first landed in Shanghai and immediately caused a sensation. Two years later， Sir Matthew Bourne took his Sleeping Beauty to China. In front of an awe-inspiring gothic set， the rewrite of the classic romance delivered a more complicated story to the Chinese audience. In 2018， he staged Cinderella set in World War II during the London Blitz as the city was being regularly bombed， which was also well received by Chinese critics and spectators alike. In 2019， the new Swan Lake flew back to China， and in 2020， Bourne’s The Red Shoes adapted from the Academy Award-winning movie of the same name is scheduled to visit China. Bourne revealed that he often sits among the audience to watch his own productions to understand the audience’s responses better and more directly. “The Chinese audience is quite unique and I am eager to know how they interpret things differently，” he said. 　　Stage productions by British artists have been visiting China more frequently in recent years as China-UK cultural exchange has expanded rapidly. Art develops perpetually. In addition to classics and masters， Chinese audiences also closely follow the development trends of the world’s literature and arts. They tend to be familiar with the newest innovations and concepts of contemporary artists. At the same time， Chinese art groups are also strengthening exchange and mutual learning with top British art groups. For example， Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center， where the new Swan Lake was staged recently in the capital， has become committed to introducing high-quality international cultural and art programs including many by Sir Matthew Bourne in recent years.
　　“We strive to serve as a platform for China-UK art communication，”declared Zhao Pingping， publicity director of Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center. “By bringing more high-quality international art works to the Chinese audience， we hope to promote art education among ordinary people and inspire more Chinese people to embrace art.”