When ‘his’ Swan Lake debuted at La Scala in 1990, Rudolf Nureyevreserved the key, equivocal, specular roles of Wolfgang/Rothbart for himself. But for the Prince he created challenging variations, putting him at the nexus of all the dramaturgical threads. The precious, historical scenes and costumes by Ezio Frigerio and Franca Squarciapino modulate lights and colours in a Monet-esque reinterpretation of the romantic music, representing Tchaikovsky’s shining white swans on the peaceful yet troubled waters' garden of Giverny.