Swan Lake

Timeless jewel of the classical ballet with recorded music by one of the most famous Russian composers, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The intriguing story will surely appeal to both adults and children. Swan Lake is the world´s most performed and well-known ballet title; it requires precision and a high standard of classical technique of all performing dancers. How will the story of the enchanted princess end? Will the evil sorcerer Von Rothbart, who transformed the princess into a swan, manage to trick Prince Siegfried? Let yourself be surprised at a ballet performance at the Broadway Theater in Prague.

During the performance, you will be carried away by graceful movements of the swans, Prince Siegfried and his court jester, and the queen who wants to marry her son.  The dual role of Odette and Odile, portraying two completely different characters, is the true highlight of the show. How will the story of the enchanted princess end? Will the evil sorcerer Von Rothbart, who transformed the princess into a swan, manage to trick Prince Siegfried? Will there be a happy or tragic ending in Monika Kysilová's choreography?

The performance is accompanied by recorded music.

Synopsis

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 his mother, the Queen [Scène: Allegro moderato], who is concerned about his 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). He 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.

Siegfried has become separated from his friends. He arrives at the lakeside clearing, just as a flock of swans lands [Scène. Moderato]. He aims his crossbow [Scène. Allegro moderato], but freezes when one of them transforms into a beautiful maiden named Odette [Scène. Moderato]. At first, she is terrified of him. When he promises not to harm her, she explains that she and her companions are victims of a spell cast by the evil owl-like sorcerer named 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 they 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 Siegfried with their dances [Pas de six], he has eyes only for Odile. [Scène: Allegro, Tempo di valse, Allegro vivo] Odette appears at the castle window and attempts to warn him, but he does not see her. He then proclaims to the court that he will marry Odile before Rothbart shows him a magical vision of Odette. Grief-stricken and realizing his mistake (he vowed only to love Odette), he 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, she chooses to die. He chooses to die with her and they leap into the lake, where they will stay together forever. This breaks Rothbart's spell over the swan maidens, causing him to lose his power over them and he dies. In an apotheosis, they, who transform back into regular maidens, watch as Siegfried and Odette ascend into the Heavens together, forever united in love.

Program and cast

Length 105 minutes

CAST AND CREATIVE

Little and Big Clara  Carolina Cortesi, Maria Gornalova
Nutcracker  Karel Audy, Alexey Yurakov, Michal Kovác
Herr Drosselmeyer   Milan Bocek, Michal Holanek
Female small solo (Doll, Columbine, solo Snowflake)  Katerina Audy, Tereza Ulrychova
Male small solo (Doll, Mouse King, Harlequin)  Kristian Pokorny, Dominik Port, Libor Kettner

Corps de ballet   Tereza Ulrichova, Eliska Kolarova, Karolina Beerova, Veronika Brzkova, Petra Dvorakova, Helenka Fabikova, Ema Slavikova, Lenka Marikova, Vojta Vlasak, Josef Svoboda, Igor Kolva, Martin Dinus, Kristian Pokorny, Michal Vasicek, Sotirios Panagoulias

Children   Nicol Petraková, Tereza Svecova, Teodosio Arichtev, members of dance school Pirueta

Choreography   Monika Kysilova

Stage Design   Martin Cerny

Stage properties   Tomas Hnat
Costumes   Jana Chamlarova, Helena Chlupata