When Swan Lake premiered at Pacific Northwest Ballet in 1981, PNB was a small, relatively unknown company. On opening night of the production, PNB, still relying on big-name ballet stars to sell tickets, hired Gelsey Kirkland and Patrick Bissell to perform the principal roles. However, PNB company dancers Deborah Hadley and Jory Hancock’s performance the following evening cemented PNB as a respected ballet company. After the show, Jon Blake of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer wrote that PNB was “on the edge of national stature.” Over 40 years later, Kent Stowell’s Swan Lake is still beloved by audiences. Take a look at PNB’s 14 Swan Lake programs through the years, and let us know which one is your favorite!
1981
1982
1984
1986
1989
1992
1996
2003
2007
2009
2013
2015
2018
2022
