Nov. 12

 Frankly, we can't tell the difference between a faux pas and a pas da deux, so with the Kirov Ballet and Orchestra bringing "Swan Lake" to the Wang Theatre Nov. 9-12, we thought we'd call in our friend, former Boston Globe dance critic Christine Temin. She writes: “Swan Lake” was the most famous flop in ballet history when it premiered in 1877 at Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre, in a production choreographed by a nonentity called Julius Reisinger. It wasn’t until 1895 that the version on which most others are based opened at the Maryinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. This time, choreographers Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov created a masterpiece that could stand up to Tchaikovsky’s great symphonic score. The dual role of Odette, the virtuous white swan, and Odile, the evil black swan, is the greatest challenge in the repertory to the single ballerina who plays both. Technical tricks including the famous 32 fouettes – turns with one leg whipping around the other – routinely stop the show. One thing in the Kirov’s version that is not in keeping with that of 1895 is the happy ending, dictated later by Soviet leaders. Speaking of that, another thing that’s not original is the company’s name. Kirov was head of the Communist party in Leningrad. His attendance at the ballet before his assassination in 1934 is undocumented. Because Western audiences got accustomed to his name, it’s stuck to the company for box office purposes when touring. Back in St. Petersburg, the company is called the Maryinsky, after the historic theater where it performs. (Temin now writes about dance for Ballet Review and VoiceofDance.com.) Times vary for the shows: Thursday night it's 7:30, Friday and Saturday it's 8; the Saturday matinee is at 2 and Sunday at 3. Tickets: $95-$45.

270 Tremont st., 888--869-8587 wangcenter.org