Yesterday was Saturday and I got up early….5:30 to walk over to the Opera house to stand in line for a ticket to see Swan Lake.  I left the apartment at 7:00 and headed over toward Covent Garden. I figured it would take me close to an hour.  What I didn’t plan on was getting lost around Victoria station. I literally was walking in circles looking for Buckingham Palace Rd.

Since I wasted valuable time walking around, I decided to hop the tube at Victoria station so I could get to the Opera house and in line.  The day of a performance, they sell 67 tickets which are set aside.  Since there were 2 performances on Saturday, that was double the amount of tickets. I felt that I had a really good chance to get one.  Plus, they only sell one ticket to one person. If a group of people want to attend, they all have to stand in line to get a ticket.

I was number 16 in line when I queued.  I was really, really happy because I knew that I was going to be able to see the ballet.  It had been 35 years since I saw Swan Lake. It is one of my favorite ballets.  The last time I saw it was 35 years ago in Vienna, Austria.  I saw Rudolp Nureyev and Cynthia Gregory perform it.  It was breathtaking….there were 25 curtain calls that night!

I went to the matinee at 1:30.  My seats were on the left side of the stage.  Close enough to see the dancer’s faces but the left side of the stage was obscured.  It didn’t affect seeing the performance of the primary dancers, Marianela Nuñez and Thiago Soares, but some of the dance troupe.

Ms Nuñez who danced the role of the swan, is from Argentina.  Thiago Soares, who played danced as the Prince, is from Brazil.  In real life, they are a couple and married.  There performance was stella!

I especially enjoyed seeing the dance troupe of 30 dancing as swans with their flowing skirts on the costume cut to represent feathers.  There were about 6 younger girls that danced along with the main troupe.  I could only imagine how exciting it was for them to perform in such a production.

I thoroughly enjoyed the this performance of Swan Lake.  The music is so lyrical.  The dancers were so graceful and the choreography was enchanting.  It was a great, great afternoon.

The Opera House is right next to Covent Garden which is all decorated for Christmas.  I wandered through the market area and took pictures of the decorations.  Then, I made my way to Oxford Street to get more pictures of the Christmas lights there.  “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…”  I love it and am so excited for more decorations to be put up!!!

Christmas Tree at Covent Gardens

Oxford Street all decked out!