The most loved and mesmerizing of classical ballets, “Swan Lake” was Tchaikovsky’s first. It was composed in 1875 and over 100 years later it remains a favorite with ballet companies regularly performing it throughout the world.
The Story of “Swan Lake”
“Swan Lake” is a timeless love story that mixes magic, tragedy, and romance into four acts. It features Prince Siegfried and a lovely swan princess named Odette. Under the spell of a sorcerer, Odette spends her days as a swan swimming on a lake of tears and her nights in her beautiful human form.
The couple quickly falls in love. As in most fairy tales, things are not that easy and the sorcerer has more tricks to play. That brings Odile, his daughter, into the picture. Confusion, forgiveness, and a happy ending with Siegfried and Odette together forever round off the ballet.
Reading the synopsis of the four acts will fill you in on the rest of the story. Yet, it is interesting to note that in many performances, a single prima ballerina plays both Odette and Odile. It is a role that ballerinas strive for from a very young age.
