Search - Svetlanov, USSR Symphony Orchestra :: Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake Suite/Nutcracker Suite

Swan Lake was Tchaikovsky?s first ballet, commissioned by the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow and premiered in March of 1877. Although wildly popular today, Swan Lake was very coolly received at first, partly because the performance was poorly choreographed and performed. It was not until the great choreographer Marius Petipa revived Swan Lake in 1895, two years after the composer?s death, that the ballet achieved the success it deserved, and it has been a central part of the repertoire ever since. The Nutcracker was Tchaikovsky?s third ballet and last completed stage work. The scenario was based on a fairy tale by E.T.A. Hoffmann and meticulously reworked by Petipa, who co-choreographed the premiere production in December of 1892. Again, the initial reception was cool, but it wasn?t long before The Nutcracker joined Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty as repertory staples. Evgeny Svetlanov (1928-2002) was one of the many distinguished graduates of the Moscow Conservatory. Under his direction, the USSR Symphony Orchestra became one of Russia?s finest ensembles, and is particularly notable for its traditional Slavic sound. Svetlanov recorded widely, and his interpretations are prized for their color and vitality.