|
::
The Swan Lake
:: Premier at the Teatro Calderón in Valladolid. 24th February 2010 Co-productors: Teatro Calderón in Valladolid, Teatro Campoamor in Oviedo, Teatre Auditori in Sant Cugat. Colaborator: Caja Segovia. Music:Piotr I. Tchaikovsky 
Premier 4th March 1877 at the Bolshoi Theatre (Moscow, Russia). Petipa -Ivanov's production premiered on 27th January 1895 at the Mariinsky Theatre of Saint Petersburg. Marius Petipa acts I & III - Leiv Ivanov acts II & IV Timing: 2:30' |
THE SWAN LAKE
|
Act I - In the Castle
Gardens Prince Siegfried is celebrating
his birthday surrounded with friends. The Queen — Siegfried’s
mother —, arrives at the party to deliver him gift: a hunting
crossbow. She also reminds her son that he must choose a wife
from among the young princesses who have been invited to the party
to be held in his honour the following day. The idea of marriage
does not please the young prince and, to 
Act II. At the Swan Lake In the wood, near the lake, some swans appear and turn into lasses as they leave the water. When Siegfried reaches the place where he intends to hunt the birds, their queen, Odette, appears and stops him. The young lady tells the Prince of the curse that is upon them: they were turned into swans due to a spell cast by the Wizard Rothbart and can only recover their human form at night. Only a promise of eternal love may break the spell. Prince Siegfried, who was love-struck by Odette as soon as he saw her, asks her to attend the ball at the castle the following day.
When he is about to declare his love to her, Rothbart appears and turns the girls back into swans to prevent Siegfried breaking the spell. 
Act III. Inside the Castle Everything is prepared in
the dance hall, where Siegfried must choose his wife. The Queen
Mother enters with him and the Master of Ceremonies orders the
festivities to commence. During the ball, he is introduced to
a series of marriageable princesses, who appear with their relevant
entourages and perform «typical» dances from their
kingdoms of origin. The Queen Mother asks him to choose
At that moment, the Master of Ceremonies announces the arrival of an unknown noble who goes by the name of Baron Rothbart and is attending the ball with his daughter Odile
The Prince, under the wizard’s spell, sees Odile and believes it is Odette, so he points her out as his wife to be. The Queen approves the choice. Siegfried, believing himself free of hindrance, swears eternal love to Odile, but when the promise was made, Rothbart reveals his deceit and shows him Odette in the distance. Siegfried realises his mistake and desperately runs to the lake, following Odette. Act IV. At he Lake On the banks of the lake, the young swan ladies await Odette’s return. When she appears, she tells them what happened at the party.
Shortly after, Siegfried arrives, begging the young lady to pardon him, but they are interrupted by Rothbart, who has come to take the swans away again. Siegfried and Odette join forces to fight the wizard and his curse, but all is in vain: the spell cannot be broken. Aware of their defeat, the lovers throw themselves into the lake. Their sacrifice destroys Rothbart and their death releases the young ladies from the spell. |
