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Following a two-week season at Artscape’s Opera House in Cape Town, the production will travel to Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne, marking the company’s first international tour and putting its South African dancers, creatives and production on an international stage.
From Cape Town to three Australian stages
The Australian tour will see Swan Lake presented at three major venues: Crown Theatre in Perth from 9 to 11 April, Her Majesty’s Theatre in Adelaide from 15 to 18 April, and The Princess Theatre in Melbourne from 21 to 25 April 2027.
Before crossing the Indian Ocean, the production will have a two-week Cape Town season at Artscape’s Opera House from 3 February, with selected performances accompanied by a live orchestra.
For Cape Ballet Africa founder and artistic director Debbie Turner, the international tour represents a significant moment for the company, which was founded in 2024.
“We are overwhelmingly proud to be embarking on our first international tour to Australia, enabling us to highlight the immense talent of our South African artists on a global stage,” says Turner.
A classical Swan Lake on a grand scale
Cape Ballet Africa’s production follows the classical lineage of Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, bringing together an international creative team with experience across the classical repertoire.
The production is choreographically produced by Elena Glurjidze, former lead principal of English National Ballet and a former Odette and Odile, with additional settings by Diane van Schoor and Cape Ballet Africa’s Lindy Raizenberg.
The production’s visual world includes sets by Michael Mitchell, whose work has been seen at London’s Royal Festival Hall, Dubai Opera House and the Hong Kong Festival, alongside costumes by award-winning designer Marcel Meyer and lighting by Oliver Hauser.
The production features a company of 60, with Theatre Tours International CEO Simon Bryce describing it as Swan Lake “as it is meant to be seen”.
A young company making international moves
Cape Ballet Africa has expanded its repertoire rapidly since its launch, moving from original productions including Salt and Breathwords into the classical repertoire with Giselle, The Nutcracker and Swan Lake.
Its Nutcracker was nominated for two Naledi Theatre Awards and broke box-office records during its Teatro, Montecasino season in Johannesburg.
The company’s international outlook is also reflected in its dancers. In 2025, Cape Ballet Africa dancer Joshua Williams received the Prix Benois de la Danse for Best Male Dancer, joining a list of international laureates that includes Carlos Acosta and Vadim Muntagirov.
Building the next generation
Based at a purpose-built home at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa in Cape Town, Cape Ballet Africa also runs its BalletFutures Education Associate Programme and apprenticeship programmes for young dancers, as well as positions in wardrobe and administration.
The company says its goal is to develop the next generation of artists alongside its professional repertoire.
That vision now extends beyond South Africa, with the Australian tour offering Cape Ballet Africa an opportunity to present its interpretation of one of ballet’s best-known works to audiences overseas.
Swan Lake in Cape Town and Australia
Cape Ballet Africa’s Swan Lake runs at Artscape’s Opera House in Cape Town from 3 February 2027 for a limited two-week season, ahead of its Australian tour.
In Australia, the production will visit:
Crown Theatre, Perth: 9–11 April 2027
Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide: 15–18 April 2027
The Princess Theatre, Melbourne: 21–25 April 2027
The Australian tour is presented by Theatre Tours International under its Cape Ballet touring brand, with Cape Ballet Africa’s South African production travelling overseas after its Cape Town season.
Tickets for the Cape Town season are available through Webtickets.
