Best bets

Swan Lake by Russian State Ballet in Beijing

Date: Nov 23-Nov 28

Venue: Beijing Poly Theater

Price: 100-1,280 yuan

Swan Lake was composed in 1875-1876. The scenario, initially in four acts, was fashioned from Russian folk tales and tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse. The choreographer of the original production was Julius Reisinger. The ballet was premiered by the Bolshoi Ballet on March 4, 1877 at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, billed as The Lake of the Swans. Although it is presented in many different versions, most ballet companies base their stagings both choreographically and musically on the 1895 revival of Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, first staged for the Imperial Ballet on Jan 15, 1895, at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg.

The Mistress of the Inn (Le Belle Bandiere La Locandiera)

Date: Dec 3-Dec 6－7:30 pm

Venue: National Center for the Performing Arts

Price: 80-380 yuan

The Mistress of the Inn is a three-act comedy created by Carlo Goldoni. As Goldoni's representative work, first put on show in 1753, the comedy praises wisdom and hard word, advocates independence and equality in relationships, and criticizes the life dependent on money and social status. Goldoni vividly depicts characters coming from different classes living in Venice in the 18th century. The comedy represents the highest achievement of Italian enlightenment drama.