Swan Lake. Performance by the Leonid Yakobson Ballet Theatre
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Swan Lake is one of the most enchanting, impeccable, and renowned creations of world art. For a long time, its music choreography has been universally regarded as a world-class ballet masterpiece, and as one of the greatest achievements of Russian national culture.
Established in 1969 by Leonid Veniaminovich Yakobson, the St Petersburg State Academic Ballet Theatre rightly bears the name of its founder and carefully preserves the traditions he laid down. Today the company is developing several trends in its repertoire – the classics, Leonid Yakobson’s own works and productions by contemporary Russian choreographers. The theatre’s work has received a special prize from the Golden Mask festival jury (for the production The Wedding Cortege), St Petersburg’s highest theatre prize the Golden Sofit and the Taglioni Prize, established in 2014 by the Vladimir Malakhov Foundation (for the programme Classical Miniatures by Leonid Yakobson). The company performs at various theatres in St Petersburg, appears at major international festivals and performs in towns and cities throughout Russia, France, Italy, Spain, the USA, Canada, Japan, China, Mexico, Finland, Croatia, Switzerland, Belarus and Estonia.
Although Swan Lake is presented in many different versions, most ballet companies base their stagings both choreographically and musically on the 1895 revival of Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, first staged for the Imperial Ballet on 15 January 1895, at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. For this revival, Tchaikovsky's score was revised by the St. Petersburg Imperial Theatre's chief conductor and composer Riccardo Drigo.
During the late 1880s and early 1890s, Petipa and Vsevolozhsky discussed with Tchaikovsky the possibility of reviving Swan Lake. However, Tchaikovsky died on 6 November 1893, just when plans to revive Swan Lake were beginning to come to fruition. It remains uncertain whether Tchaikovsky was prepared to revise the music for this revival. Whatever the case, as a result of Tchaikovsky's death, Drigo was forced to revise the score himself, after receiving approval from Tchaikovsky's younger brother, Modest. There are major differences between Drigo's and Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake score. Today, it is Riccardo Drigo's revision of Tchaikovsky's score, and not Tchaikovsky's original score of 1877, that most ballet companies use.
In February 1894, two memorial concerts planned by Vsevolozhsky were given in honor of Tchaikovsky. The production included the second act of Swan Lake, choreographed by Lev Ivanov, Second Balletmaster to the Imperial Ballet. Ivanov's choreography for the memorial concert was unanimously hailed as wonderful.
The revival of Swan Lake was planned for Pierina Legnani's benefit performance in the 1894–1895 season. The death of Tsar Alexander III on 1 November 1894 and the ensuing period of official mourning brought all ballet performances and rehearsals to a close for some time, and as a result all efforts could be concentrated on the pre-production of the full revival of Swan Lake. Ivanov and Petipa collaborated on the production, with Ivanov retaining his dances for the second act while choreographing the fourth, with Petipa staging the first and third acts.
Modest Tchaikovsky was called upon to make changes to the ballet's libretto, including the character of Odette changing from a fairy swan-maiden into a cursed mortal woman, the ballet's villain changing from Odette's stepmother to the magician von Rothbart, and the ballet's finale: instead of the lovers simply drowning at the hand of Odette's stepmother as in the original 1877 scenario, Odette commits suicide by drowning herself, with Prince Siegfried choosing to die as well, rather than live without her, and soon the lovers' spirits are reunited in an apotheosis. Aside from the revision of the libretto the ballet was changed from four acts to three—with act 2 becoming act 1, scene 2.
All was ready by the beginning of 1895 and the ballet had its première on Friday, 27 January. Pierina Legnani danced Odette/Odile, with Pavel Gerdt as Prince Siegfried, Alexei Bulgakov as Rothbart, and Alexander Oblakov as Benno. Most of the reviews in the St. Petersburg newspapers were positive.
Swan Lake is a ballet composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1875–76. Despite its initial failure, it is now one of the most popular of all ballets. Swan Lake is the ballet which embodies the soul of Russian art. The combination of brilliant music and choreography creates a special kind of magic; what the great 20th century choreographer George Balanchine had in mind when he famously said, “One should call every ballet Swan Lake because then people would come.”
Act I
Scene 1
Prince Siegfried and his friends are celebrating his coming-of-age. The Queen gives him a crossbow and reminds him that the time has come to consider marriage. At the ball tomorrow he must choose a bride. Night falls. The guests depart. Siegfried is tormented by forebodings that are unclear. Seeing a flock of white swans in the sky the Prince sets out for the lake.
Scene 2
A lake in a forest glade. On coming ashore the swans are transformed into girls and Siegfried drops his crossbow, staggered by the beauty of the Swan Queen. Odette tells him that the swan-maidens are under the power of the evil sorcerer von Rothbart and only the power of wholehearted love can undo the magic spell. Siegfried swears eternal love to Odette.
Act II
A ball at the castle. One after another, beauties from different countries appear before the Prince, but not one of them can grasp his attention. Siegfried’s heart belongs to Odette. The sounds of a fanfare announce the arrival of more guests. Disguised as a noble knight, von Rothbart enters, and with him is his daughter Odile. Siegfried is struck dumb – this beautiful maiden is exactly like Odette! Odile gives the Prince no time to come to his senses, she lures and bewitches him, and the Prince is so attracted that he declares his love for her. Von Rothbart is triumphant. Understanding the full horror of the deception of which he has been the victim, Siegfried rushes to the lake and to Odette.
Act III
Night. The shore of the lake. Odette is telling her friends about von Rothbart’s villainy and Siegfried’s betrayal. The Prince appears and begs her forgiveness. Black swans sent by von Rothbart attempt to separate the lovers, but Siegfried defeats the sorcerer. The powers of evil are at an end and the rays of the rising sun bring life, love and happiness...
Swan Lake is generally presented in either four acts, four scenes (primarily outside Russia and Eastern Europe) or three acts, four scenes (primarily in Russia and Eastern Europe). The biggest difference of productions all over the world is that the ending, originally tragic, is now sometimes altered to a happy ending.
Prologue
Some productions include a prologue that shows how Odette first meets Rothbart, who turns Odette into a swan.
Act 1
A magnificent park before a palace
[Scène: Allegro giusto] Prince Siegfried is celebrating his birthday with his tutor, friends and peasants [Waltz]. The revelries are interrupted by Siegfried's mother, the Queen [Scène: Allegro moderato], who is concerned about her son's carefree lifestyle. She tells him that he must choose a bride at the royal ball the following evening (some productions include the presentation of some possible candidates). Siegfried is upset that he cannot marry for love. His friend Benno and the tutor try to lift his troubled mood. As evening falls [Sujet], Benno sees a flock of swans flying overhead and suggests they go on a hunt [Finale I]. Siegfried and his friends take their crossbows and set off in pursuit of the swans.
Act 2
A lakeside clearing in a forest by the ruins of a chapel. A moonlit night.
The "Valse des cygnes" from act 2 of the Ivanov/Petipa edition of Swan Lake
Siegfried has become separated from his friends. He arrives at the lakeside clearing, just as a flock of swans land [Scène. Moderato]. He aims his crossbow [Scène. Allegro moderato], but freezes when one of them transforms into a beautiful maiden, Odette [Scène. Moderato]. At first, she is terrified of Siegfried. When he promises not to harm her, she explains she and her companions are victims of a spell cast by the evil owl-like sorcerer Rothbart. By day they are turned into swans and only at night, by the side of the enchanted lake – created from the tears of Odette's mother – do they return to human form. The spell can only be broken if one who has never loved before swears to love Odette forever. Rothbart suddenly appears [Scène. Allegro vivo]. Siegfried threatens to kill him but Odette intercedes – if Rothbart dies before the spell is broken, it can never be undone.
As Rothbart disappears, the swan maidens fill the clearing [Scène: Allegro, Moderato assai quasi andante]. Siegfried breaks his crossbow, and sets about winning Odette's trust as the two fall in love. But as dawn arrives, the evil spell draws Odette and her companions back to the lake and they are turned into swans again.
Act 3
An opulent hall in the palace
Guests arrive at the palace for a costume ball. Six princesses are presented to the prince [Entrance of the Guests and Waltz], as candidates for marriage. Rothbart arrives in disguise [Scène: Allegro, Allegro giusto] with his daughter, Odile, who is transformed to look like Odette. Though the princesses try to attract the prince with their dances [Pas de six], Siegfried has eyes only for Odile. [Scène: Allegro, Tempo di valse, Allegro vivo] Odette appears (usually at the castle window) and attempts to warn Siegfried, but he does not see her. He then proclaims to the court that he will marry "Odette" (Odile) before Rothbart shows him a magical vision of Odette. Grief-stricken and realizing his mistake, Siegfried hurries back to the lake.
Act 4
By the lakeside
Odette is distraught. The swan-maidens try to comfort her. Siegfried returns to the lake and makes a passionate apology. She forgives him, but his betrayal cannot be undone. Rather than remain a swan forever, Odette chooses to die. Siegfried chooses to die with her and they leap into the lake. This breaks Rothbart's spell over the swan maidens, causing him to lose his power over them and he dies. In an apotheosis, the swan maidens watch as Siegfried and Odette ascend into the Heavens together, forever united in love.
Bolshoi Theatre - Moscow
Teatralnaya Square 1
Teatralnaya Square 1