For the first time in almost 30 years, South Africa’s leading ballet companies – Cape Town City Ballet (CTCB) and Joburg Ballet – will join forces to present Swan Lake, first in Johannesburg and then at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from Friday 25 July to Sunday 27 July.
Veronica Paeper oversees this version of Swan Lake that was originally staged in Cape Town in 1971 by French dancer Attilio Labis. Close on 150 years after its first performance in Moscow in 1877, this saga of love and betrayal remains at the pinnacle of classical ballet, performed by ballet companies around the world.

The two companies have a line-up of established stars and exciting newcomers waiting in the wings to dance the leading roles. Alternating with their Joburg Ballet counterparts in both cities as Odette/Odile and Prince Siegfried will be CTCB principals Kirstél Paterson and Hannah Ward, partnered by Leusson Muniz and guest artist Jerome Barnes, recently seen opposite Ward in CTCB’s sell-out season of Giselle at Artscape. The role of the evil Von Rothbart will be shared by CTCB’s Axton Green and Joburg Ballet’s Gabriel Fernandes and David Maluleka.
Performances take place at the CTICC on Friday 25 July and Saturday 26 July at 19:00 with two matinées on Saturday 26 July and Sunday 27 July at 14:00.
Tickets start from R200.
*Book at Webtickets.