Swan Lake, in Valencia… and in the seventh art

He is a leading figure in Russian culture and a key figure in the current classical music repertoire. Tchaikovsky , whose most famous fairy tale, the ballet Swan Lake , will be performed at the Palau de les Arts in Valencia , has left his mark far beyond the theater. The world of cinema has incorporated his pieces to create memorable scenes. In which films can you hear some of his compositions?

The most iconic ballet: Swan Lake

The Dance of the Little Swans , a dazzling piece from the world-famous Swan Lake , accompanies Natalie Portman in Aronofsky 's Black Swan (2010). Woody Allen used this composition for Scoop (2006) to illustrate the couple's relationship. The composer's presence is felt from the very beginning. Indeed, the film opens to the rhythm of his Pas de Deux .

We find the Finale from the second scene in Tim Burton 's Ed Wood (1994), which also introduces the exotic theremin instrument. Earlier, in 1932, Boris Karloff captivated audiences in The Mummy with the opening credits set to this score.

Meanwhile, Paul Newman and Tim Robbins worked with the Coen brothers on The Hudsucker Proxy (1994) to the waltz from Swan Lake . We also hear its notes in Billy Elliot (2000) and Being John Malkovich (1999).

Another recurring work by Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker

Tchaikovsky considered The Nutcracker not to be one of his most accomplished works. Cinema proves him wrong, as its melodies are recognized worldwide thanks to Fantasia (1940), one of Walt Disney 's quintessential animated films.

Tchaikovsky's Dance to Represent the Four Seasons

The film captures different parts of the ballet . Fairies and elves deposit dew as we observe the autumn colors and the Candy Fairy Dance plays . A small mushroom is also seen dancing while the Chinese Dance is heard .

Then, the flowers alight on the water with the Dance of the Mirlitons , the fish dance with the Arabian Dance , and the orchids with the Russian Dance (Trepak) . The cycle ends with the snow and the Waltz of the Flowers . Mysterious Men (1999) joins the tribute.

You may also have noticed that Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture appears in Down with Love (2003), Fly Away (1994) or the revolutionary V for Vendetta (2005).

Spielberg, Zemeckis and Minghella

Spielberg, for his part, used the ballet Sleeping Beauty for Artificial Intelligence (2001). The Pathétique Symphony can be heard in Minority Report (2002) (as well as in the 1996 version of Anna Karenina ).

Other filmmakers were more adventurous, rescuing less frequently used pieces. For example, the opera Eugene Onegin appears in The Talented Mr. Ripley (Anthony Minghella, 1999) with Plácido Domingo singing. It also features in Cast Away (Robert Zemeckis, 2000).

And, of course, James Bond

You can also get to know Tchaikovsky through 007. Do you dare to identify the Romeo and Juliet Overture in Moonraker (1979)?

Listening to Tchaikovsky 's music in a film enhances its charm. The experience is even more captivating when you attend a live performance. Watch these films and be enchanted by the dance of the Astana Opera Ballet and the Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana, conducted by Arman Urazgaliyev, in Valencia .