Kansas City Ballet presents Devon Carney’s Swan Lake. Photography by Brett Pruitt & East Market Studios.
The Kansas City Ballet launched its season this weekend with an exquisite, enchanting “Swan Lake,” that most iconic of classical ballets. Indeed, for many, “Swan Lake” is the very definition of ballet. Which is why it was surprising to learn that it was first performed by the Kansas City Ballet only nine years ago, one of the first ambitious projects by then-newly-arrived Artistic Director Devon Carney.
Perhaps not unrelated, “Swan Lake” is also one of ballet’s most famously demanding works, a marathon of physical demands and technical challenges. Under Carney’s leadership, this brilliantly gifted company more than rises to the occasion. Their breathtaking “Swan Lake” offers wave after wave of beauty — Kaleena Burks’s indelibly poetic Odette/Odile, Andrew Vecseri’s vital and chivalrous Prince Siegfried, and dazzling visions of the corps de ballet gliding across the misty lake.
Kaleena Burks absolutely triumphs in the role of Odette/Odile. Much is made of the light/dark dichotomy of this double role, and Burks draws an effective distinction between the two, especially with her commanding entrance as Odile in Act 3. But the real revelation is her expressive portrait of the regal yet fragile Odette. Burks’s technique is formidable, so much so that it never draws attention to itself but only serves the story, even in her flawless, seemingly effortless execution of Odile’s (in)famous 32 fouettés. In every scene, Burks’s placement and posture are impeccable. And as Odette, her delicate, ever-fluttering arms, subtle footwork and yearning responsiveness make the story truly affecting. This same sensitivity flows through Odette’s loyal bevy of swans and makes their shimmering, dreamlike scenes at once lovely and poignant. This large, talented corps de ballet makes an incredible impression, creating some of the most stunning moments of the evening.
Burks’s Odette has an excellent partner in Andrew Vecseri’s Prince Siegfried. From his first bold, gorgeously drawn leaps across stage, Vecseri gives a persuasive account of a playboy with a heart of gold, a reluctant groom who finds himself purely in love. Vecseri’s earnest performance is nicely countered by Cameron Thomas’s charismatic and sorcerous Von Rothbart.
Perennial crowd favorite “Dance of the Cygnets” was charmingly executed by Amelia Meissner, Taryn Pachciarz, Marisa DeEtte Whiteman and Gillian Yoder, and the six princess hopefuls added a delightful burst of levity, thanks to lively turns by Amira Hogan, Olivia Jacobus, Celeste Lopez-Keranen, Mei McArtor, Maura Moody and Noura Sander.
Conductor Ramona Pansegrau and the Kansas City Symphony give a warm, spirited reading of the ravishing Tchaikovsky score. Trad A. Burns’s moody lighting works magic, transporting beyond space and time, especially in the lake scenes.
Devon Carney’s astute shaping of this nearly 150-year-old work is a masterful tribute to ballet tradition that is all the more powerful for its contemporary freshness and emotional richness. “Swan Lake” is a spectacular opening to the season and a promise of much greatness to come from the Kansas City Ballet.
kcballet.org
Swan Lake
Reviewed October 17, 2025
Remaining performances:
Oct. 23, 2025 • 7:30 PM
Oct. 24, 2025 • 7:30 PM
Oct. 25, 2025 • 1:30 & 7:30 PM
Oct. 26, 2025 • 1:30 PM
