Ballet «Swan Lake» (Hồ Thiên Nga)

   Four acts of classical ballet with a symphony orchestra playing live in the pit — still a rare combination in Ho Chi Minh City, where most dance programmes run to recorded scores. HBSO is bringing back its full-length «Swan Lake» after last year's sold-out run, this time across two consecutive weekends at the Saigon Opera House on Lam Son Square, a two-minute walk from Nguyen Hue.

   The orchestra is conducted by Dr Lê Ha My, the theatre's director. Staging, choreography, set and costume design are by Norwegian choreographer Johanne Jakhelln Constant, who has already built «The Nutcracker», «Cinderella» and «Coppélia» for the company. Đỗ Hoàng Khang Ninh dances Odette; guest artist Chika Tatsumi takes Odile, the Black Swan; Lê Đức Anh is Prince Siegfried, Sùng A Lùng is Rothbart and Phạm Thế Phương is Benno, with dancers from the HBSO Ballet, Sasa Ballet and the national dance school filling the corps.

   There are four performances — 15, 16, 22 and 23 August, all at 20:00. Three price tiers run from 1,100,000 to 1,800,000 VND, but at the time of writing every tier was sold out on Ticketbox, so the box office at the Opera House is your best route to a returned seat.

   Ballet needs no translation, which makes this an easy first classical evening if you have never sat through one: the story of love, betrayal and enchantment is told entirely in movement and Tchaikovsky's score. Programme details and tickets are on Ticketbox.