Q & A

Soloist Thomas Forster discusses his deferred debuts in Swan Lake, Giselle and Romeo and Juliet.

What roles were you meant to debut?

Siegfried [in Swan Lake], Romeo [in Romeo and Juliet] and Albrecht [in Giselle].

Had you started rehearsing for this week's character, Siegfried?

I had started to rehearse for Siegfried. I was really enjoying the challenge of learning such an iconic role.

What were/are you most looking forward to about debuting the character?

Major spoiler alert! I was most looking forward to jumping off of the mountain to my theatrical death at the end of Act IV. It’s one of my favorite parts of Kevin McKenzie’s Swan Lake. I can only imagine the feeling of accomplishment one must feel, to have completed such an amazing ballet.

What makes Kevin McKenzie's Swan Lake timeless?

There are so many things that all add up to make Kevin McKenzie’s Swan Lake timeless. A few of my personal favorites are the swans in Acts II  & IV. Act II in Swan Lake should be on everyone’s bucket list; it’s so stunningly beautiful.

Another favorite is the magic of von Rothbart, when he changes between his monstrous form – Lakeside von Rothbert – into his seductive human form – Ballroom von Rothbart.

Are you doing anything now to prepare for the character?

Yes, I’m sticking to a workout program that I do for two hours everyday. The program consists of HIIT body weight training along with yoga/ballet barre to strengthen and lengthen my muscles. My goal is to build my strength and cardio during the time off, so once we are allowed to return to work, I will be ready to hit the ground running.