P. I. Tchaikovsky
SWAN LAKE
Ballet in four acts
Libretto: V. P. Begitschew, W. Geltzer
Choreography: M. Petipa, L. Iwanow, A. Gorsky
Stage production: : I. Nejini
Costumes: T. Tulubewa
1877 World premier at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg
The Russian State Ballet’s world premier was on the 17th of April 1991 at the Kremlin Palace in Moscow.
FASCINATING SWAN LAKE
The legendary ballerina Galina Ulanova once said, with simple eloquence, that Swan Lake ballet is the most beautiful ballet one could imagine. When asked about Swan Lake, George Balanchine joked with Peter Martins, the director of the New York City ballet, saying: "Let’s name all ballets Swan Lake. The audience would surely come."
The general understanding is that without having seen Swan Lake, you cannot understand ballet. There has always been, and always will be, innumerable intents to explain the magic of Swan Lake, an exhaustive explanation will most likely never be found.
Its world premiere, in the year 1877 at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, would become the biggest disappointment in Tchaikovsky’s career, the composer who created the genius music for Swan Lake. The first Swan Lake choreographer, Julius Wenzel Reisinger, could not connect with the music and claimed that it was completely impossible to translate Tchaikovsky’s work into dance. The dancer used the weakness of this choreography to step into the limelight, by inserting unexpected dance acts and adding little stunts from other ballets. Little is known about Reisinger’s artistic output, however, in the world of ballet, his name will forever be linked to his failed Swan Lake choreography. The work was forgotten, and was later revived in 1894 by the choreographers Marius Petipa (first and third act) and Lev Ivanov (second and fourth act), one year after Tchaikovsky’s death. They were able to match Tchaikovsky’s master composition to an equally worthy choreography, which still maintains its important position today. It is thanks to the genius choreographers Marius Pepita and Lev Ivanov that Swan Lake is the most popular ballet of all times. Gordeev’s detailed production keeps as close as possible to this original version. His sumptuous production is characterized by the mastery, professionalism and passion of its enthusiastic dancers.
Tschikovsky’s work allowed for two interpretations of the outcome, thus, another score exists for a dramatic ending of Swan Lake.
Viacheslav Gordeev: "As it is a fantastic fairy tale, I am convinced that it has to have a happy ending, in which true love will triumph over Evil." Gordeev created with "his" Swan Lake a ballet show at its best – with a "happy end" at the lake of swans.
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