I promised myself that I would not write another review on a ballet for the sheer purpose of my articles not becoming mundane and repetitive however for the quintessential Swan Lake, an exception had to be made.
Swan Lake is currently the most frequently performed ballet in the world, considering this it is almost abstruse to discover that upon its premiere it was a chronic failure - with near unanimous criticism.
It was not hard for me to understand why it is the well loved in the world of classical ballets, due to its; sublime dancing, picturesque sets and Tchaikovsky’s glorious score in addition to the well-crafted story.
The plot which seems simplistic from a far but grows in its splendour at closer analysis is a timeless love story that mixes magic, tragedy and romance into four acts. It features a swan princess named Odette and Prince Siegfried who fall in love. Under the tragic spell of a sorcerer, Odette spends her days a swan swimming among with other swans who fell under the same spell on a lake of their parent’s tears and night she spends her days in her beautiful human form. Due to the sorcerer and his daughters’ tricks the love of the couple is put in jeopardy. In a final battle Odette and Siegfried decide to commit a joint-suicide and the final part is them floating away on a cloud. In a way it could be seen as a tragedy but also not because their love can continue in a blissful world.
There is a common theme throughout the ballet of good vs evil, the juxtaposition of the ballerina playing two opposing roles only enhances this concept. The deception of Rothbart and Odile (the sorcerer and his daughter) fuel the battle and, though it does end up in the death of the 4 central characters, good does ultimately triumph.
The most iconic scene in the ballet which of course I had to mention is the danse des petits cygnes otherwise known as the “Dance of the Little Swans”. I was absolutely captivated by the magnificent sight of the ballerinas in white tutus moving in unison under the twilight backdrop of the moon.
To conclude, Swan Lake is a must-see ballet no matter whether you watch it from a venue or at home. It will blow your mind away.
