Swan Lake Review
Written by: Kalea Hoffner and Alice Song
Swan Lake unfolds as a tale of love, betrayal, and enchantment. The curtains rise on a lavish celebration of Prince Siegfried’s twenty-first birthday. Amidst the festivities, he receives a crossbow, an elegant yet fateful gift that will soon lead him into the heart of a supernatural mystery. After the party, the prince enters the woods to hunt. There, he encounters Odette, a princess cursed by the evil sorcerer Rothbart to live as a swan by day and human by night. Odette’s curse can only be broken by true love, and Siegfried immediately promises his eternal devotion to Odette. Their love is later threatened when Rothbart’s daughter, Odile, disguised as Odette, deceives Prince Siegfried and breaks his vow of fidelity.
The first production of Swan Lake was performed in 1877 at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, Russia. The score for this ballet was composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and this was his first time composing music for a ballet. Swan Lake was initially deemed a failure, as critics felt Tchaikovsky’s music was too noisy and fast-paced. After Tchaikovsky’s death, Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov of the Mariinsky Theatre revived the ballet, completely reimagining the choreography. This ballet interpretation premiered in 1895, in St. Petersburg, Russia, and is the iconic version we know today.
IAA’s last performance of Swan Lake was in May of 2021; it was initially planned for February but was delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions. The production itself faced limitations as masks had to be worn. Additionally, this production featured abbreviated choreography to avoid physical contact between dancers.
Nami Chung Vastine, a three year junior Dance major, performed the roles of Odette and Odile in this year’s production of Swan Lake. She was excited to develop the characters and understand the underlying emotions the swans must convey through their dancing.
“My favorite part of the show is the opening of Act II when the prince and Odile dance together,” Nami commented. “I feel like that is the most powerful part of the ballet. Everyone in the audience is intrigued.”
This year’s production of Swan Lake, performed Feb. 14-16, brought together Interlochen dancers and the Traverse City Philharmonic for a performance that stayed true to the ballet’s legacy and highlighted the skill, dedication, and storytelling that makes this ballet a classic. With live music and costumes from Ukraine and China, the production created an engaging experience for the audience.