The ballet was written in 1876. In this version was staged in Perm in 2015.

It is generally believed that the libretto of Swan Lake — a story about princess Odette who is turned into a swan by Von Rothbart the evil sorcerer — is based partly on Russian folk tales and partly on a novel by Johann Karl August Musäus, the author of the collection Volksmärchen der Deutschen (German Folk Tales). Either way, the narrative motif of the ballet, which has become the emblem of the Russian academic school of dance, incorporates clear elements of German romanticism: only the love of a prince can dispel evil magic. Alexey Miroshnichenko’s Swan Lake retains all of the key features of Petipa/Ivanov’s choreography, however he reinterprets the story. Prince Siegfried becomes the central character, whose soul is hunted by the dark genius Von Rothbart, in this interpretation taking on extra powers and whose part will be more dance-based. In artistic terms, this performance is markedly lighter and airier than those preceding: the space is decorated with white stone walls, stained glass windows and chandeliers. The “swans’” tutus are made as per old designs from the late 19th century and are trimmed with real feathers.