The Swan Lake National Tour 2025: Here are the Joburg Dates

Two of South Africa’s two leading classical ballet companies will join forces to present a grand-scale staging of Swan Lake, one of the world’s most beloved ballet productions. The companies will embark on a national tour to Johannesburg, Durban, Bloemfontein and Cape Town in July and August 2025. Here’s what you need to know.

Here are all the tour details

The national tour opens at the Joburg Theatre from Friday, 4 July, until Sunday 13 July. Fine music lovers are in for a treat as The Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra will perform Tchaikovsky’s iconic Swan Lake score for the Johannesburg season.

Swan Lake then transfers to The Playhouse in Durban for performances on 18, 19 and 20 July together with the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra, continuing at the Sand du Plessis Theatre in Bloemfontein on 24, 25 and 26 July in partnership with the Free State Symphony Orchestra.

The national tour concludes with performances at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on 1, 2 and 3 August together with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra.

What is Swan Lake about?

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, its leading role danced by the greatest ballerinas of every generation.

The production of Swan Lake that the two companies will dance was originally staged in Cape Town by French dancer Attilio Labis in 1971. Acclaimed SA choreographer Veronica Paeper will be responsible for restaging the ballet for the national tour.

A special ballet collaboration between Joburg and Cape Town

Commenting on the Swan Lake national tour, Joburg Ballet CEO Elroy Fillis-Bell said:

“Joburg Ballet is thrilled to be partnering with Cape Town City Ballet for the upcoming national tour,” says Joburg Ballet CEO Elroy Fillis-Bell. “It gives us the opportunity to present a production of one of the great classical ballets on a scale appropriate to the classical tradition. The tour also aligns with Joburg Ballet’s ongoing endeavours to build closer ties with our sister companies and dance industry stakeholders in South Africa. We look forward to sharing stages across the country with Cape Town City Ballet.”

“Swan Lake is a breathtakingly beautiful full-length classic,” muses Tracy Li, Cape Town City Ballet’s Artistic Manager. “Cape Town City Ballet is excited to collaborate with Joburg Ballet to create magic and share this wonderful experience with audiences on a national tour. With much anticipation, we look forward to this exciting and meaningful collaboration, a celebration of appreciation and unity within this unique and powerful artform.”