Swan Lake - Ballet de Santiago

Chile’s Ballet de Santiago makes its Irish premiere with Swan Lake at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, running for six nights across the third week of August. This is the full classical production - Tchaikovsky’s score, the white tutus, the lake, the sorcerer, the doomed love story - staged with the technical precision and emotional depth the company is known for across South America. Artistic director César Morales has shaped a version that stays true to the Petipa and Ivanov choreography while bringing a distinctly Latin American intensity to the drama. If you have been meaning to see a ballet for years and haven’t quite got there, this is a very good reason to finally go.

What to expect

The story follows Prince Siegfried and Odette, a princess cursed by the sorcerer Rothbart to live as a swan by day. It is one of the most demanding ballets in the classical repertoire - long, technically brutal for the dancers, and deeply theatrical. Ballet de Santiago are described as combining cinematic beauty with dramatic intensity, and the opulent staging and elaborate costumes are a large part of what makes this production worth seeing live rather than on screen. The Bord Gáis Energy Theatre’s 2,111-seat main house is one of Ireland’s best-equipped stages, and the scale suits Swan Lake well. Performances run Tuesday to Sunday: evening shows at 7:30pm most nights, a Saturday matinee at 2:30pm, and a Sunday matinee at 1:00pm. Doors open an hour before curtain. Note that the production uses strobe lighting, smoke and haze effects throughout.

Getting there

The Bord Gáis Energy Theatre sits on Grand Canal Square in Dublin’s Docklands, about a 15-minute walk east from the city centre along the quays. The easiest public transport options are the DART to Grand Canal Dock station (right beside the square) or buses on routes 1, C1, C2 and several others that stop at Grand Canal Dock. The Luas Red Line stops at Mayor Square/NCI - cross the Samuel Beckett Bridge and it’s a ten-minute walk. If you’re driving, the theatre has no dedicated car park; Q-Park Grand Canal Square on Chimney View is the nearest option. Traffic around the Docklands on show nights can be slow, so allow extra time.

While you’re in Dublin

Grand Canal Square itself is worth arriving early for - the square’s red resin “carpet” of illuminated sticks and the waterside setting make for a good pre-show stroll. The Docklands is well served for restaurants and bars if you want to eat before the performance. There is more to see in Dublin and across Co. Dublin.

Good to know

• Dates: 18-23 August 2026
• Times: 7:30pm (Tue-Sat evenings); 2:30pm (Sat matinee); 1:00pm (Sun)
• Price: From €35.45
• Booking: Via Ticketmaster at ticketmaster.ie or through the theatre’s own site at bordgaisenergytheatre.ie
• Content warning: Strobe lighting, flashing lights, smoke and haze effects used throughout
• Under 16s must be accompanied by a parent or guardian (18+); no children under 3 admitted