Which ballet should I go to?

[ChoseCake]

Never been before! Can choose between The Nutcracker, Swan Lake or Giselle. Won't be until January so maybe not The Nutcracker (it is a Christmassy one right?)

Swan Lake is amazing.

Agree with pp. If you only ever see one, make it swan lake. Giselle is very lovely though!

Swan Lake. The music is heart wrenching.

I'd happily watch the nutcracker in January

If the others I would go for swan lake. It's easier to follow and has more action overall. Although I love the dreamy parts of Giselle and the music and the Wilis forcing errant men to dance until they die

Nutcracker! Varied, fun, colourful, familiar music. Watch a bit from them all on YouTube and see what you fancy.

Swan Lake, no contest. The music is much better than the others. The Nutcracker is a bit twee, and the second half of Giselle is seriously dreary.

If it's the touring production that performs all three, I would give Giselle a miss. I saw it last month and it was ok but nothing special. One of the male dancers fell flat on his face during one of the group dances, he went with a real wallop.

I would go for Swan Lake for drama, or the Nutcracker for nostalgia.

Swan lake is my favourite but the nutcracker is lovely and Christmassy.

I think it probably is that one AndNone - the Russian State Ballet?

Looks like Swan Lake is the winner so far - thank you :)

Yeah that's it. It was an enjoyable evening, but not as magical as I had hoped. Maybe it was because the story was unfamiliar? When I was a ballerina we didn't do Giselle.

Any traditional ballet will be good - it's as much an experience as anything else. I love the ballet and book previews usually as less than half price

They are all beautiful but Swan lake is glorious. I never tire of watching it.

If you've never been to the ballet before, go to Swan Lake. You'll love it!

Ok - Swan Lake it is then! Thank you all very much for taking time to advise.

Is it Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake at Sadlers Wells you’re thinking of?

Swan Lake. Definitely. Good choice.

Sorry, just seen you said Russian State Ballet.

Swan Lake. It really will take your breath away.

I have danced in these. Very different. Giselle very dramatic and the second act goes on a bit. I think Nutcracker is a wonderful choice for a first ballet. The story is easy. It’s a light ballet, not pantomime but certainly not as heavy going as Giselle. Beautiful music. Very pretty ballet and some lovely “effects”.

Swan Lake is very beautiful. Everyone knows the music. Odette/Odile exquisite.

My favourite ballet is McMillan’s Romeo & Juliet. Prokofiev’s score is incredible, haunting. See this ballet and I guarantee you will need to download the album.

If you have a cinema near you they might be screening The Nutcracker by the Bolshoi ballet company at the end of December, so you could see 2 ballets!

Whichever one, if any, is a Matthew Bourne production. I get completely lost in his mesmerising ballets.

How lovely, which company were you dancing with, AuntyJackie ?

Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake is at Sadlers Wells in the new year. His Romeo &Juliet is there in August. I’m looking forward to seeing both.

If it's your first time at the ballet, I think you should choose a better company than the 'Russian State Ballet'!

Are you near London? Or Birmingham? The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and English National Ballet are far superior companies with a much larger repertoire.
ENB have recently been touring 'Manon' with an upcoming season at the Coliseum. Any Kenneth MacMillan choreographed ballet will be wondrous. Agree with PP about Romeo and Juliet and I would choose that for a beginner.

I'm going to go against the grain and say Giselle because I once took someone to the ballet for the first time to Swan Lake and they were bored I think because it's quite a lot of classical dancing with nothing to break it up. I wouldn't want you to be put off like she was. In hindsight I should have chosen La Fille mal Gardée, I think.

Whatever you choose I hope you have a wonderful time.