BOURNE SUPREMACY

One's experience of classical ballet is often distilled into comforting holiday classics, such as "The Nutcracker" and "Swan Lake". They are soothing, reliable, and about as uninspired as your grandmother's menu for Christmas dinner. That is unless these standbys have been reworked by Matthew Bourne, a British choreographer. Bourne's "Nutcracker" takes place in an orphanage, and his production of "Swan Lake" features an all-male cast. Exploring the edges of Tchaikovsky's score, he adds humour, emotional resonance and homo-eroticism to the classic story, and has created a classic in its own right.

In this audio slideshow from The Economist, Bourne narrates against images that reveal the beauty and theatricality of his work. He describes his inspirations and motivations, and how he feels about his career on the eve of his 50th birthday.

~ ARIEL RAMCHANDANI