Montana Ballet Company announces the Bozeman premiere of Swan Lake, set for March 1st–2nd. The Saturday performance begins at 7pm, followed by a 4pm show on Sunday. Both will be held at the Willson Auditorium in Downtown Bozeman.
“We are thrilled to bring this epic masterpiece to the Bozeman community,” said Melissa Bowman, MBC’s Artistic Director “Swan Lake is not only one of the most beautiful ballets ever created, but also one of the most challenging to perform – both for the principal dancers and the corps de ballet. In fact, Swan Lake sets the standard for the ballerina, but perhaps even more so for the corps de ballet, where precision, unity and grace are key to bringing this timeless story to life. We can’t wait for you to experience this incredible work in its full, breathtaking glory.”
MBC is pleased to welcome internationally acclaimed guest artists WanTing Zhao, and Benjamin Freemantle, who will perform the title roles of Odette and Prince Siegfried.
WanTing Zhao trained at the Beijing Dance Academy and the San Francisco Ballet School before joining San Francisco Ballet, where she was promoted to Principal Dancer in 2019. Throughout her career, she has performed leading roles in works by renowned choreographers such as George Balanchine, Natalia Makarova, Helgi Tomasson, John Neumeier and Harald Lander. She has also originated roles in ballets by contemporary choreographers, including Benjamin Millepied, Wayne McGregor, Trey McIntyre, Mark Morris and Alexei Ratmansky. Additionally, she is set to appear in the upcoming Amazon Prime TV series Étoile, premiering in 2025.
Benjamin Freemantle began his training at the Caulfield School of Dance before earning a full scholarship to the San Francisco Ballet School at age 15. He joined San Francisco Ballet in 2015 and was promoted to Principal Dancer in 2019. Known for his captivating performances, Freemantle has excelled in principal roles across full-length ballets and original works, including masterpieces by legendary choreographers such Balanchine, Christopher Wheeldon, Jerome Robbins and Helgi Tomasson.
MBC Ballet Master, Richard Bowman, will dance the role of VonRothbart. MBC’s Music Director, Stefan Stern, will lead an outstanding orchestra of esteemed musicians who will play Tchaikovsky’s magnificent score.
One of the most iconic classical ballets of all time, Swan Lake is a captivating love story. This ballet will mesmerize audiences with breathtaking dancing, spectacular visuals and wondrous moments, all accompanied by the Montana Ballet Orchestra.
For tickets, visit www.montanaballet.org or contact MBC at (406) 582-8702. All seating is reserved. Ticket prices range from $28–$78. MBC extends its thanks to underwriters Donna Murphrey and Karin Utzinger for their generous support in making this production possible.
Season after season, MBC, a local nonprofit organization, produces quality performances, enchanting audiences with new and updated artistry of dance, choreography, music and design. •
