Mariinsky Ballet's Swan Lake, Royal Opera House

 If you were only going to see Swan Lake once in your life, then the  Mariinsky’s should be it.

The St Petersburg company has had the  Tchaikovsky/Petipa/ Ivanov ballet continuously in its repertory since its premiere in 1895, and its current production, which dates back to 1950, retains the perfume and scale of a product of Tsarist Russia , if not the original mime. 

The corps de ballet of swans is never less than superb.  As for principal casting: the veteran Uliana Lopatkina on 4 August will be a draw for many: the Swan Queen is her signature role. Among the men, 28-year-old British dancer  Xander Parish is an obvious attraction at the Saturday matinee.

All casts can be booked with confidence, though. The Mariinsky knows that Swan Lake is its shop window to the world, and only ever fields its finest.