✨ Swan Lake is one of the most iconic ballets ever. It tells the tragic love story of Prince Siegfried and Odette, a princess cursed to be a swan by day and human by night. Tchaikovsky’s breathtaking score and mesmerizing choreography has captivated audiences for more than 145 years.
One evening, Siegfried encounters Odette by a moonlit lake. She tells him that only true love can break the spell cast by the evil sorcerer, Rothbart. Siegfried swears his love to her but didn’t keep his promise.
🖤 At a royal ball, Rothbart’s daughter, Odile, disguised as Odette in a black costume, deceives Siegfried into declaring love for her instead. Realizing his mistake, Siegfried rushes to Odette and tries to make things right. The end of the story depends on the version and the choreographer and they either tragically perish together or break the curse through love.
👑 Who doesn’t want a nice ending to a love story? Over the weekend I watched Atlanta Ballet II perform The Swan Princess, a variation on the theme intended for a younger crowd (I even heard two babies challenging each other in a crying battle). It was beautifully done, with costumes and stage decor that were fantastic too!
Here are some cool facts about Swan Lake.
🦢 Interesting fact #1: The role of Odette/Odile is considered one of the most challenging in ballet, requiring dancers to perform both the gentle, lyrical white swan and the fiery, technical black swan.
🌊 Interesting fact #2: The famous “32 fouettés” in the Black Swan pas de deux are a true test of a ballerina’s strength and stamina—some even add extra turns to impress audiences!
If you love ballet but haven’t seen Swan Lake yet, I highly recommend seeing a live performance. There’s just nothing like it, but if you prefer to watch in the comfort from your own home, here are some videos.
