Black Swan hasn't just been good for Natalie Portman's career. Ballet companies across the country, and overseas, are reporting increased interest from ticket buyers — and are giving credit to director Darren Aronofsky's Oscar contender. Ballet, once "dismissed by many as a high-culture relic in danger of imminent extinction," is "hot" again, due in large part to the success of the movie, says Andrew Edmondson, the director of marketing for the Houston Ballet. Here, some Black Swan-aided box office successes:
1. London's Royal Opera House
The Royal Ballet's latest revival of "Swan Lake" coincided with the British release of the film. That helped generate a buzz, says Roya Nikkhah in The Telegraph, and the ballet even "received enquiries from prospective audience members asking when Portman will be taking to the stage."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
2. The English National Ballet
Another British production of the classic ballet also got a Black Swan boost for its scheduled performance next month at the London Coliseum. "The hype around the film has definitely helped us," a spokesman says, as quoted in The Telegraph, "and we won't need to spend as much on advertising as usual on our forthcoming production."
3. New York City Ballet
Tickets for the company's performances of "Swan Lake" sold "unusually fast," says Alastair Macaulay in The New York Times. While the popular ballet was scheduled for this season well before the movie came out, Portman's portrayal of a ballerina undergoing a psychological meltdown may very well have boosted demand.
4. Pennsylvania Ballet
Philadelphia performances of "Swan Lake" have also seen "brisk ticket sales," says Dan Gross at Philly.com. "Black Swan is putting ballet on the tips of people's tongues and attracting people who hadn't previously thought of ballet, which is great," says public relations manager Marissa Montenegro.
-
August 26 editorial cartoonsCartoons Tuesday’s political cartoons include a simple guide to gerrymandering, a MAGA-approved Cracker Barrel logo, and an FBI raid at John Bolton's house
-
Four royal holiday hotspotsThe Week Recommends Follow in the footsteps of royalty and experience the charm of some of their most popular getaways
-
The rise of the lost luggage auctionIn the Spotlight Lost luggage hauls are attracting millions of views online
