Swan Lake | Athens | December 22-31

Greek National Opera Ballet director Konstantinos Rigos returns to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) stage with his bold new reading of one of the most popular pieces of the classical repertory, “Swan Lake,” which met with critical and popular acclaim during its first run last year. Referencing the choreographies of Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, and embedding them into his new “metaclassical” reading, the Greek choreographer attempts to highlight the contradictions of man’s nature by casting the black and white swans as two sides of the same person and setting the action in a post-apocalyptic world. Shows take place on December 22 and 29 at 6.30 p.m. on December 24, 26, 27 and 29 at 8 p.m. and on December 31 at 7 p.m. Tickets cost 15 to 70 euros.

National Opera, SNFCC, 364 Syngrou, Kallithea, tel 213.088.5700, www.nationalopera.gr