By Ivan Cavallari
With Les Grands Ballets Orchestra
With 75 performers on stage, exquisite costumes, and the powerful Orchestre des Grands Ballets, The Lake is shaping up to be one of the highlights of the season. In this bold reinterpretation of Swan Lake by Ivan Cavallari, the plot leaves behind the enchanted kingdom for the set of an advertising studio, where an advertising campaign for the two perfumes, Cygne Noir and Cygne Blanc, is being shot.
In this original dramatic setting, the characters from the original tale take on new forms, and the iconic white act, with its procession of swans, finds new resonance here. Drawing on Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake score as well as his Symphony No. 6, Pathétique, Cavallari makes Odette’s metamorphosis into a white swan a rite of passage, one in which the climb to the top comes at the cost of a gradual loss of self. Combining fascination, control, and the quest for identity, The Lake offers a fresh take on the myth, as distinctive as it is unexpected.
“A production that enchants with its aesthetic beauty […], a triumph for Cavallari and an unforgettable gift for Montreal audiences.”
Jacqueline van de Geer, LesArtsZé
This ensemble comprises 55 highly skilled musicians and soloists. Our orchestra has been playing a major role in the success of Les Grands Ballets for over 30 years.
ACT 1 – 50 minutes
Odile, a sensual muse and acclaimed dancer, is the face of the Cygne Noir fragrance. Seemingly reigning over a contemporary advertising world built on illusions, she stars in a new campaign alongside her lover Siegfried, a principal dancer at the height of his fame. But it doesn't take him long to notice Odette at a bus stop, a young dancer from the Imperial School who has just brilliantly passed her end-of-year exam. Seeing in her the future face of the Cygne Blanc fragrance, he invites her to audition at the studio, quickly disrupting the established order. Inspired by the legacy of her masters Tchaikovsky, Petipa, and Ivanov, Odette has yet to realize that hidden behind these three admired artists is von Rothbart, a malevolent force. Naive and unguarded, she believes in merit, beauty, and the ideals of her craft. Little by little, Odette is drawn into a world where dreams, ambition, and reality blur together—a world whose unwritten rules… and traps are entirely unknown to her. Her presence stirs Odile's jealousy, which erupts into fury when she discovers Odette, her rival, in Siegfried's arms, and sees the place she thought was hers begin to slip away.
Bewitched by a cloud of Cygne Noir – found in Odile's bag – Odette surrenders to a dreamlike vision. The three creative directors of the advertising agency take on the guise of Rothbart, sinister figures who preside over her slow metamorphosis into a white swan. Here, Cavallari draws on the dark, turbulent strains of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, “Pathétique.” Seduced by the promise of an exceptional career, Odette signs without hesitation the contract that will make her the new face of the Cygne Blanc fragrance.
INTERMISSION – 20 minutes
ACT 2 – 47 minutes
On set, a frenzy of camera flashes, touch-ups and shouted commands gradually transforms Odette into something she is not. Behind the polished veneer of fame, she discovers a system where every detail is shaped, corrected, and constrained. Caught in the machinery of a world ruled by appearances and manipulation, the young woman sees her dream slipping away as reality turns into a nightmare.
Caught in the grip of a power that seeks to possess her and confine her to the role written for her, Odette refuses to be erased by the glamour forced upon her. She rises up against the hold of Rothbart’s three spirits. Her rebellion summons the return of the white swans, who, in a sublime pas de quatre, surround and protect her. When she reappears, finally dressed in the costume she had always dreamed of, she joins Siegfried in a passionate pas de deux. But their momentum is abruptly interrupted by Rothbart, now transformed into three menacing black swans. Siegfried attempts to come to her aid, but is quickly repelled. Left alone to face the ultimate trial, Odette finds the strength within herself to break her contract and lift the spell, reclaiming her humanity and restoring that of the swans. In the distance, however, Rothbart’s three shadows still seem to loom over Odile…
Latest update made on May 29, 2026. The cast is subject to change until the start of the performance. (M = matinee, S = soiree)
Scenes 1 and 2
Siegfried
Esnel Ramos (28s, 30s, 5s, 6s)
Roddy Doble (29s, 4s, 6m, 7m)
Odile
Anaïs Roy (28s, 30s, 5s, 6s)
Anya Nesvitaylo (29s, 4s, 6m, 7m)
The Period Swans
Alexandra Eccles, Carrigan Macdonald, Sarah Branch, Laure Billeau, Rose Trahan, Maude Fleury, Ana-Sofia Natera Marquez, Sofia González, Tuesday Rain, Éliane Jacques,
Maeva Marcolini-Bowes, Élodie Scholtes-Labrecque (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
The Three Designers
Célestin Boutin, Graeme Fuhrman, James Lyttle (28s, 30s, 5s, 6s)
Étienne Delorme, Flemming Puthenpurayil, Daniel Leger (29s, 4s, 6m, 7m)
The dresser: Sarah-Maude Laliberté (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
The makeup artist: Catherine Toupin (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
The hairstylist: Cassandre Leroux (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
Technician - Microphone
Thomas Leprohon (28s, 30s, 4s, 6m, 6s)
Benjamin Poirier (29s, 5s, 7m)
Technician - Video Camera
Antoine Benjamin Bertran (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
Technician - Computer
Simon Adamson-De Luca (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
Technician - Rolling Stool
André Santos (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
Technician - Transport Case
François Gagné (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
Technician - Large Lamp
Angel Vizcaino (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
Scene 3 – The “Cygne Noir” Fragrance Celebration
The journalist
Elias Roldan (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
The cooks
Anna Sanchez, Mackenzie Hebein (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
Anaelle Carrette (28s, 30s, 5s, 6s)
Laura Ruas Pereira (29s, 4s, 6m, 7m)
Odette
Rachele Buriassi (28s, 30s, 5s, 6s)
Aurora De Mori (29s, 4s, 6m, 7m)
Scene 4 – The Imperial School
The technicians
André Santos, Bernard Dubois II, Angel Vizcaino, Arran Sullivan, François Gagné, Thomas Leprohon, Simon Adamson-De Luca, Antoine Benjamin Bertran, Benjamin Poirier,
Felixovich Morante, Ludovic Germain-Thivierge (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
The dance teacher
Anne Dryburgh (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
The young students of the Imperial School
Adam Ahmad, Vivien Baer, Chloé Bernard, Jade Bui ou Clara Esteves, Emi Cotera Yamakawa, Roxane Daudet, Léo Desbois, Marielle Feaver Yam, Lauriane Gallagher, Lyne Guessous, Diane Jaimes, Adria Jevremovic Lopez, Chloé Kang, Viviane Lahaie Sanchez, Emelyne Le, Dominic Lee ou Théodore Ionescu, Sophie Lombardo, Selina Ma, Youran Meng, Loula Anna Monnais ou Kira Madeleine Ubalijoro, Amzie Paolini, Lili Pellet ou Alexandra Petrenko, India Phath-Gagnon, Laura Ruas Pereira, Yufan Shi, Tilo Touré ou Ariel Proulx, Anya Tremblay, Charlotte Villemaire, Lidia Weichenthal, Beren Wesley
The graduating students of the Imperial School
André Santos, Bernard Dubois II, Arran Sullivan, Sarah Branch, Carrigan Macdonald, Alexandra Eccles, Maeva Marcolini-Bowes, Sofia González, Catherine Toupin, Rose Trahan, Maude Fleury, Tatiana Lerebours, Tuesday Rain, Éliane Jacques, Calista Shepheard, Ana-Sofia Natera Marquez
The boys (cabrioles)
Arran Sullivan, François Gagné, Bernard Dubois II, Benjamin Poirier, Antoine Benjamin Bertran, Felixovich Morante, Simon Adamson-De Luca (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
Angel Vizcaino (29s, 4s, 6m, 7m)
Daniel Leger (30s, 5s, 6s)
Solo
André Santos (28s, 29s, 5s, 6s, 7m)
Angel Vizcaino (30s, 4s, 6m)
Manège
André Santos, Bernard Dubois II, Arran Sullivan, François Gagné, Simon Adamson-De Luca, Benjamin Poirier (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
Daniel Leger (28s, 30s, 4s, 6m)
Angel Vizcaino (29s, 5s, 6s, 7m)
Antoine Benjamin Bertran (28s, 30s, 5s, 6s, 7m)
Felix (29s, 4s, 6m)
Scene 5 – Odette Meets Siegfried
Scene 6 – The Audition
The Audition dancers
Sarah Branch (28s, 30s, 5s, 6s)
Maeva Marcolini-Bowes (28s, 30s, 5s, 6s)
Carrigan Macdonald (29s, 4s, 6m, 7m)
Alexandra Eccles (29s, 4s, 6m, 7m)
Sofia González (28s, 5s, 7m)
Rose Trahan (29s, 6m)
Kiara Felder (30s, 4s, 6s)
Scene 7 – Journey Into The Occult
The Three Masters
Piotr Ilitch Tchaïkovski: Ludovic Germain-Thivierge (28s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
Piotr Ilitch Tchaïkovski: James Lyttle (29m)
Petipa: Étienne (28s, 30s, 5s, 6s)
Petipa: Felixovitch Morante (29s, 4s, 6m, 7m)
Lev Ivanov: Flemming Puthenpurayil (28s, 30s, 5s, 6s)
Lev Ivanov: Graeme Fuhrman (29s, 4s, 6m, 7m)
The Three Rothbart
Célestin Boutin, Graeme Fuhrman, James Lyttle (28s, 30s, 5s, 6s)
Étienne Delorme, Flemming Puthenpurayil, Daniel Leger (29s, 4s, 6m, 7m)
The Four Swans
Ana-Sofia Natera Marquez, Maude Fleury, Laure Billeau (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
Anaelle Carrette (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 6m, 7m)
Kiara Flavin (5s, 6s)
Tatiana Lerebours, Calista Shepheard (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
The Big Swans
Tetyana Martyanova (28s, 30s, 5s, 6s)
Élodie Scholtes-Labrecque (29s, 4s, 6m, 7m)
Vanesa G.R. Montoya (28s, 30s, 4s, 7m)
Éliane Jacques (29s, 5s, 6m, 6s)
The Little Swans – Women
Sarah Branch, Carrigan Macdonald, Alexandra Eccles (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
Kiara Felder (28s, 30s, 4s, 6s)
Laure Billeau (29s, 5s, 6m, 7m)
The Big Swans – Men
Thomas Leprohon, Antoine Benjamin Bertran, Simon Adamson-De Luca (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
Felixovich Morante (28s, 30s, 5s, 6s)
Benjamin Poirier (29s, 4s, 6m, 7m)
The Little Swans – Men
André Santos, Bernard Dubois II, Arran Sullivan (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
François Gagné (29s, 4s, 6m, 7m)
Scene 1 – The Designers’ Laboratory
The technicians (women)
Tatiana Lerebours, Calista Shepheard, Sarah Branch, Carrigan Macdonald, Alexandra Eccles (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
Tetyana Martyanova (28s, 30s, 5s, 6s)
Élodie Scholtes-Labrecque (29s, 4s, 6m, 7m)
Vanesa G.R. Montoya (28s, 30s, 4s, 7m)
Éliane Jacques (29s, 5s, 6m, 6s)
Kiara Felder (28s, 30s, 4s, 6s)
Laure Billeau (29s, 5s, 6m, 7m)
The technicians (men)
Thomas Leprohon, Antoine Benjamin Bertran, Simon Adamson-De Luca, André Santos, Bernard Dubois II, Arran Sullivan, Ludovic Germain-Thivierge, Elias Roldan (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
Felixovich Morante (28s, 30s, 5s, 6s)
Angel Vizcaino (28s, 30s, 5s, 6s)
Benjamin Poirier, François Gagné (29s, 4s, 6m, 7m)
Scene 2 – The White Act
The Big Swans – Women
Tatiana Lerebours, Calista Shepheard (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
Tetyana Martyanova (28s, 30s, 5s, 6s)
Élodie Scholtz-Labrecque (29s, 4s, 6m, 7m)
Vanesa G.R. Montoya (28s, 30s, 4s, 7m)
Éliane Jacques (29s, 5s, 6m, 6s)
Dance of the Little Swans
Sarah Branch, Carrigan Macdonald (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6s)
Rose Trahan, Catherine Toupin (6m, 7m)
Alexandra Eccles (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
Kiara Felder (28s, 30s, 4s, 6s)
Laure Billeau (29s, 5s, 6m, 7m)
The Swans - Corps de Ballet
Rose Trahan, Maude Fleury, Sofia González, Tuesday Rain, Maeva Marcolini-Bowes, Catherine Toupin, Ana-Sofia Natera Marquez (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
Mackenzie Hebein (28s, 30s, 5s, 6s, 7m)
Cassandre Leroux (29s, 4s, 6m)
Éliane Jacques, Élodie Scholtz-Labrecque (28s, 30s, 5s, 6s)
Sarah-Maude Laliberté, Anna Sanchez (29s, 4s, 6m, 7m)
Laure Billeau (28s, 30s, 4s, 6s)
Laura Ruas Pereira (29s, 5s, 6m, 7m)
Anaelle Carrette (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 6m, 7m)
Kiara Flavin (5s, 6s)
The Big Swans – Men
Thomas Leprohon, Antoine Benjamin Bertran, Simon Adamson-De Luca (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
Felix (28s, 30s, 5s, 6s)
Benjamin Poirier (29s, 4s, 6m, 7m)
The Little Swans – Men
André Santos, Bernard Dubois II, Arran Sullivan (28s, 29s, 30s, 4s, 5s, 6m, 6s, 7m)
Angel Vizcaino (28s, 30s, 5s, 6s)
François Gagné (29s, 4s, 6m, 7m)
Scene 3 – The Contract Termination
Scene 4 – Humanity Rediscovered
Odile
Anaïs Roy (28s, 30s, 5s, 6s)
Anya Nesvitaylo (29s, 4s, 6m, 7m)
Siegfried
Esnel Ramos (28s, 30s, 5s, 6s)
Roddy Doble (29s, 4s, 6m, 7m)
Odette
Rachele Buriassi (28s, 30s, 5s, 6s)
Aurora De Mori (29s, 4s, 6m, 7m)
The Three Designers
Célestin Boutin, Graeme Fuhrman, James Lyttle (28s, 30s, 5s, 6s)
Étienne Delorme, Flemming Puthenpurayil, Daniel Leger (29s, 4s, 6m, 7m)
First Violins
Veronica Thomas, solo
Valérie Belzile, associate
Céline Arcand
Pascale Frenette
Daniel Godin
Élise Lortie
Frédéric Lefebvre
Émilie Rabaraona
Line Deneault
Josiane Breault
Second Violins
Marie-Josée Arpin, solo
Solange Bouchard, assistant
Jean Ai Seow
Natalia Kononova
Anne Saint-Cyr
Daphnée Sincennes Richard
Mana Shiraishi
Félix Savignac
Violas
Véronique Potvin, solo
Catherine Arsenault, assistant
Élisa Boudreau
Bojana Milinov
Mihaela Tistu
Martine Gagné
Cellos
Carla Antoun, solo
Annie Gadbois, assistant
Laurence Leclerc
Jacob Auclair-Fortier
Vincent Bergeron
Julie Trudeau
Double Basses
Denis Chabot, solo
Richard Capolla, assistant
Anaïs Vigeant
Yannick Chênevert
Flutes
Ariane Brisson, solo
Josée Poirier
Jean-Philippe Tanguay + piccolo
Oboes
Kirsten Zander, solo
David Jomphe
Clarinets
François Martel, solo
Antonin Cuerrier
Bassoons
Lise Millet, solo
Carmelle Préfontaine
Horns
Jocelyn Veilleux, solo
Maude Lussier
Laurence Latreille Gagné
Lyne Santamaria
Cornets
Benjamin Raymond, solo
Aura West
Trumpets
Tazmyn Eddy, solo
Francis Pigeon
Trombones
Martin Ringuette, solo
Sébastien Côté
Hugo Bégin, bass trombone
Tuba
Scott Cheyne, solo
Timpani
François St-Jean, solo
Percussion
Catherine Meunier, solo
Matthias S-Letarte
Sébastien Lamontagne
Harp
Annabelle Renzo, solo
Personnel Manager
Richard Capolla
À PROPOS DU SPECTACLE
Total duration:
1 hr 58 min, including intermission
Act I: 50 min
Intermission: 20 min
Act II: 47 min
LES GRANDS BALLETS
