State Ballet of Georgia Returns to London With a New Swan Lake

Two years ago, the State Ballet of Georgia made its London debut—a historical moment for the company, which at the time was celebrating its 175th anniversary. It performed what artistic director Nina Ananiashvili describes as one of its trademark productions: Swan Lake.

Now, July 17–26, the State Ballet of Georgia is returning to the London Coliseum. And while the theater will once again be flooded with swans, this year’s tour brings a brand-new version of the ballet staged by Ananiashvili and choreographer Alexey Fadeechev. The company’s refreshed Swan Lake, which had its world premiere in Tbilisi, Georgia, on May 21, features over 300 new costumes designed by Cyrille Gassiline and hand-painted backdrops by set creator David Monavardisashvili. All 12 London performances will be accompanied by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia.

“When we staged our first Swan Lake, it was 20 years ago,” Ananiashvili tells Pointe on a phone call from Tbilisi. “That production was very successful, but I decided I wanted to have new sets and costumes. And then I thought, Well, if we do that, let’s change the content, too!”

Ananiashvili explains that she and Fadeechev have aimed to make this version more “fairy-tale–like,” focusing on making the story clear onstage. The ballet now opens with a prologue to help set the scene, and the ending has changed as well—an update Ananiashvili encourages audiences to see for themselves. “Because it’s a new Swan Lake, I think London audiences will think it’s interesting. It’s really a little surprise for them.”

As a principal dancer at the Bolshoi Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and beyond, Ananiashvili gained acclaim for her own performances in the classic. She believes the production is the standard by which any classical ballet company should measure itself, so bringing it back to London with State Ballet of Georgia was a no-brainer: “If you dance Swan Lake very well, that means the company level is very high,” she says. “Our corps de ballet of swans—everywhere we go, we get so many compliments. More compliments than when I was dancing it!” 

Odette/Odile casting for the London Coliseum appearance includes State Ballet of Georgia’s Nino Samadashvili, Mariam Lomjaria, and Anastasia Miliachenko, as well as American Ballet Theatre principal Chloe Misseldine, who previously guested with the company during its 2024 London tour. They will dance alongside their respective Siegfrieds: Lorenzo Lodi, Filippo Montanari, Daler Zaparov, and, from Lithuanian National Ballet, guest artist Oleg Ligai.

Because Swan Lake requires such a large corps, a significant portion of the State Ballet of Georgia roster will be traveling to London. Yet without the full company, many dancers will double- or triple-up on roles, with some performing in all four acts. “Touring is always, always very hard for dancers,” says Ananiashvili. “But somehow we manage to do it—and well.”

Ahead of the tour, Ananiashvili looks forward to seeing old friends in the city and remains optimistic about the public’s appetite for the classics. (“People love classical ballet!”) And considering 2024’s successful ticket sales and the company’s familiarity with the venue this year, she anticipates that this second time in London will leave more room for enjoying the moment.

“There’s so much long-term preparation, then it’s over so quickly, and we don’t enjoy it enough. That’s what happened in 2024. So to be going back is wonderful. I hope to return after another two years.”