At the risk of stereotyping, swans are usually white -- and not dingy yellow like the corners of old photographs. With that belief in mind, the Milwaukee Ballet's costume department designed 20 brand new swan costumes for the upcoming production of "Swan Lake," set to flood the Marcus Center's stage from May 4 to 7.

The old costumes were built in 1984, and were starting to show wear and tear.

"The new costumes were constructed because the bodices of the old ones were getting discolored and the nets of the skirts were ripped and repaired repeatedly," says designer Mary Piering.

The new costumes are similar to the old ones: romantic-styled tutus with a basic bodice made from ivory silk and trimmed with feathers and rhinestones.

The Ballet's costume designers have rebuilt other costumes from the production over the years, but this is the first time they have remade the swan costumes in more than two decades.

"We have built new lead costumes over the years as they take more of a beating," says Piering.

Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" is one of the most famous and frequently performed works in the international repertoire, and was first performed at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow in 1877.

With traditional choreography by Lev Ivanov and Marius Petipa, the Milwaukee Ballet's "Swan Lake" retells the story of Odette, a young woman cursed to live as a swan by day and woman by night. This classic tale will be set by Artistic Director Michael Pink.

Tickets to the Milwaukee Ballet's "Swan Lake" range from $20 to $80 and can be purchased by calling the Marcus Center box office at (414) 273-7206 or toll free (888) 612-3500.