Suspended above are colourful Chinese lanterns, shedding light on the white canvas stage covering, simulating ice, and dimly illuminating the dark trees silhouetted against the starry night sky.
This happy group of young people dance together in various combinations, gliding and leaping and spinning across the ice until snow begins to fall and the single boy is finally left alone, whirling like a top in the middle of the pond.
Despite the presence of Fonteyn and Helpmann in the romantic pas de deux for the White Couple, the true star of the ballet was Harold Turner as the Blue Boy.
Further, the Brown Boys are given choreography more usually performed by soloists than members of the corps de ballet, as their bounding, buoyant dances require considerable elevation and stamina.
The production mounted for American Ballet Theatre in 1946 had new scenery and costumes designed by Cecil Beaton, which were universally considered an unfortunate departure from Chappell's original décor.
Audio recordings of the score were made by Constant Lambert with the Sadler's Wells Orchestra in 1939 and later by many other conductors, including Jean Martinon, Charles Mackerras, Eugene Ormandy, Antal Doráti, Robert Irving, and Hugo Rignold.
Paul Murphy conducts the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, and the cast includes Steven McRae, Sarah Lamb, Rupert Pennefather, Laura Morera, Samantha Raine, Ryoichi Hirano, Liam Scarlett and Andrej Uspenski.