Tchaikovsky's ballet "Swan Lake" is one of the symbols of great Russian art, a masterpiece that has become the pearl of the treasury of world music and the "calling card" of the Bolshoi Theater. Every note of the work is saturated with suffering. The intensity of tragedy and the beautiful melody, characteristic of the creations of Pyotr Ilyich, have become the property of all music lovers and lovers of choreography in the world. The circumstances of the creation of this magnificent ballet are no less dramatic than the chords of the Lake Scene.
Order for ballet
The last quarter of the nineteenth century was a strange time for ballet. Today, when it has become an integral part of the classics, it is hard to imagine that a few decades ago this art form was treated as something secondary, unworthy of the attention of serious musicians. P. I. Tchaikovsky, being not only a famous composer, but also a connoisseur of music, nevertheless loved ballet and often attended performances, although he himself had no desire to write in this genre. But something unforeseen happened, against the background of certain financial difficulties, an order appeared from the directorate, for which they promised a considerable amount. The fee was promised generous, eight hundred rubles. Pyotr Ilyich served at the conservatory, and in those days, education workers did not live in luxury either, although, of course, the concept of prosperity was different. The composer set to work. The ballet "Swan Lake" (at first the name "Isle of Swans" was conceived) was designed on the basis of German legends.
Wagner and Tchaikovsky
Since the action took place in Germany, P.I. Tchaikovsky, in order to feel the mysterious atmosphere of the Teutonic sagas and castles, in which knights and beautiful ladies were quite ordinary characters, went to this country (this, by the way, is about the poverty of the content of the then professors) . In the city of Bayreuth, during the performance (they gave the “Ring of the Nibelungs”), a glorious acquaintance of two geniuses took place - Peter Ilyich and Richard Wagner. Tchaikovsky was delighted with Lohengrin and other operas of his famous colleague, about which he did not fail to inform his German colleague in musical notation. The Russian genius decided to call his main character Siegfried, against which the great German did not mind.
Another mysterious German, Ludwig II
There was another mysterious character who seriously influenced the future ballet Swan Lake. Wagner was patronized by the Bavarian monarch, Ludwig II, but very talented in his own way. Building mysterious, fantastic and unusual castles, he created an atmosphere of the Middle Ages, very consonant with the soul of the great Russian composer. Even the death of the king, which occurred under extremely mysterious circumstances, fit perfectly into the outline of the life story of this extraordinary and charming personality. The death of an extraordinary monarch made P.I. Tchaikovsky's depressing action, he was oppressed by the question whether he had brought, albeit unintentionally, trouble on his head with a gloomy story that he wanted to tell people.
creative process
In ballet as an action, choreography has always been considered the most important aspect. According to the memoirs of contemporaries, this tradition was broken by the ballet "Swan Lake". The content, however, was also of no small importance, it emphasized the semantic load of beautiful music. It is tragic and fits into the definition of unrequited love. Since the theater directorate acted as the customer for the Swan Lake ballet, the libretto was entrusted to Vladimir Begichev, the head of the Bolshoi. He was assisted by V. Geltser, a dancer, and later the author himself joined the creative process. The score was ready by 1876, and with all the care shown when creating the ballet, P. I. Tchaikovsky, most likely, did not imagine that this work would be included in a series of masterpieces that immortalized his name.
Characters, time and place
The place and time of action are designated as fabulous. There are few main characters, only thirteen. Among them are the imperious princess with her son Siegfried, the latter’s friend, von Sommerstern, his mentor Wolfgang, von Stein with his wife, von Schwartzfels, also with his wife, a runner, a herald, a master of ceremonies, a swan queen, she is also an enchanted beautiful Odette, like a drop of water similar to her Odile and her father Rothbart, an evil sorcerer. And, of course, secondary characters, including little swans. In general, not so few artists appear on the stage during four acts.
Story line
Young, cheerful and rich, Siegfried enjoys spending time with friends. He has a celebration, a day of coming of age. But a flock of swans appears, and something draws the young prince into the forest after it. Odette, having assumed a human form, captivates him with her beauty and tells about the deceit of Rothbart, who bewitched her. The prince makes a vow of eternal love, but the queen mother has her own plan for the matrimonial arrangement of her sons' fate. At the ball, they introduce him to Odile, a girl very similar to the swan queen. But the similarity is limited to appearance, and soon Siegfried realizes his mistake. He enters into a duel with the villain Rothbart, but the forces are unequal. In the finale, the lovers die, the villain (in the reincarnation of an owl) too. Such is the plot. Swan Lake became an outstanding ballet, not because of its unusualness, but because of Tchaikovsky's magical music.
Failed Premiere
In 1877, the premiere took place at the Bolshoi. Pyotr Ilyich looked forward to the date of February 20 with anxiety and impatience. There were grounds for excitement, Wenzel Reisinger took up the production, having successfully failed all previous premieres. There were few hopes that this time he would succeed. And so it happened. Not all contemporaries appreciated the magnificent music, psychologically perceiving the action as a whole. The efforts of the ballerina Polina Karpakova in creating the image of Odette were not crowned with success. The corps de ballet has earned a lot of caustic remarks of criticism for inappropriate waving of the arms. Costumes and scenery were underdeveloped. Only on the fifth attempt, after changing the soloist (she was danced by Anna Sobeshchanskaya, prima ballerina from the Bolshoi Theater troupe), was it possible to somehow captivate the audience. P. I. Tchaikovsky was dejected by the failure.
Mariinsky production
It so happened that the ballet "Swan Lake" was appreciated only after the death of the author, who was not destined to enjoy his triumph. For eight years, the production ran on the Bolshoi stage without much success, until it was finally removed from the repertoire. The choreographer Marius Petipa began work on the new stage version together with the author, assisted by Lev Ivanov, who possessed truly extraordinary abilities and an excellent musical memory.
The script was rewritten anew, all the choreographic numbers were rethought. The death of the great composer shocked Petipa, he fell ill (others contributed to this, but, having recovered, he set himself the goal of creating such a ballet "Swan Lake" that would become a miraculous monument to P. I. Tchaikovsky. He succeeded.
Already on February 17, 1894, shortly after the death of the composer, at an evening in his memory, Petipa's student L. Ivanov offered the public a new version of the interpretation of the second act, which was described by critics as a brilliant breakthrough. Then, in January 1895, the ballet was staged at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg. This time the triumph was extraordinary. The new ending, happy, was somewhat discordant with the general spirit of the work. It was proposed by the brother of the late composer, Modest Tchaikovsky. In the future, the troupe returned to the original version, which is staged to this day with constant success by theaters around the world.
The fate of the ballet
The failure with Swan Lake, apparently, was the reason why the composer did not take on ballets for thirteen years. Tchaikovsky was perhaps also embarrassed by the fact that the genre was still considered lightweight, in contrast to the operas, symphonies, suites, cantatas and concertos that he preferred to create. In total, the composer wrote three ballets, the remaining two are The Sleeping Beauty, which premiered in 1890, and a couple of years later The Nutcracker was presented to the public.
As for the Swan Lake, its life has become long, and, most likely, eternal. Throughout the twentieth century, ballet has not left the stage of the leading theaters of the world. Outstanding modern choreographers A. Gorsky, A. Vaganova, K. Sergeev and many others realized their ideas during its production. The revolutionary nature of the approach to the musical part of the work prompted the search for new creative ways in dance, confirming the world leadership of Russian ballet. Art connoisseurs from different countries, visiting Moscow, consider the Bolshoi Theater to be an indispensable point of visiting. "Swan Lake" is a performance that does not leave anyone indifferent; watching it is the dream of all balletomanes. Hundreds of outstanding ballerinas consider the part of Odette to be the peak of their creative career.
If Pyotr Ilyich knew...
"Swan Lake"- ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in four acts. Libretto by Vladimir Begichev and, possibly, Vasily Geltser, with additions by the composer himself.
Plot
The plot is based on many folklore motifs, partially used before in various literary works, as well as opera and ballet librettos.
The spell of the evil genius works during the day, but with the advent of the moon, the white swan turns into a beautiful Odette. She is not alone, on the lake she is surrounded by bewitched swan girls who called Odette the queen of swans. According to legend, the mother's tears for the daughter abducted by the villain formed a magical "swan lake". The spell can only be broken by the young man's true love, but if the vow of eternal love is broken, she will forever remain a swan. In the four scenes of the ballet, real and fantastic scenes alternate. Celebrating his coming of age in the palace park, Prince Siegfried is having fun among friends, but a flock of swans flying over the park beckons him along. In the forest, on the shore of the lake, among the swan girls, the prince finds Odette, the swan queen with a crown on her head. Conquered by her beauty and shocked by her story of persecution by the evil owner of the lake, Rothbart, Siegfried swears eternal love to Odette. At a ball in the castle, at the behest of Siegfried's mother, he must choose a bride for himself. The very first beauties dance in front of him. There is an alternation of national dances: Spanish, Neapolitan, Hungarian, Polish (mazurka) - however, the prince is indifferent until Odile appears, in which Siegfried sees Odette, and he prefers her. Realizing that he made a fatal mistake, Siegfried runs to the lake and begs Odette for forgiveness, but does not receive it. Tearing off the crown from Odette's head (the crown saved Odette from persecution), Siegfried challenges Rothbart, the owner of the lake, personifying the image of doom in the ballet. The prince hopes that the swan girl will go with him to the human world. In the fairy tale, the stormy waves of the elements raging on the lake absorb Odette and Siegfried.
Production history
The stage history of the play was difficult. The premiere took place on February 20 (March 4) on the stage of the Moscow Bolshoi Theater performed by artists of the imperial troupe. The original choreography was by choreographer Wenzel Reisinger. The ballet was divided into four acts - one picture in each. Polina Karpakova became the first performer of the parts of Odette and Odile. At the fourth performance, Anna Sobeshchanskaya performed the main part for the first time.
Reisinger's production was not successful and was considered unsuccessful. In 1882 the choreographer Iosif Gansen revived and partly edited the old performance. On February 17, 1894, in a concert dedicated to the memory of P. I. Tchaikovsky, the "swan" picture of the second act of the ballet staged by Lev Ivanov was shown for the first time (the main parts were performed by Pierina Legnani and Pavel Gerdt).
The whole performance premiered on January 15 (27) at the Mariinsky Theatre. The choreographer Petipa, together with M. I. Tchaikovsky, revised the libretto and, together with the composer Ricardo Drigo, the score. Petipa owned the choreography of act I, act III (with the exception of the Venetian and Hungarian dances) and the apotheosis; Lev Ivanov - II act, Venetian and Hungarian dances of III act and IV act.
The Petipa-Ivanov version has become a classic. It underlies most subsequent productions of Swan Lake, with the exception of modernist ones. Most often, the canonical choreography of the second, “swan”, act of Ivanov and the “black” is used. pas d'action(often converted to pas de deux Prince Siegfried and Odile) Petipa. However, the influence of the St. Petersburg production on the entire subsequent fate of the ballet is much wider than the mechanical reproduction of its individual elements. In fact, it contained the main traditions that determined the approach of new choreographers to the author's text by P. I. Tchaikovsky. The free revision of the libretto and the equally free rearrangement of the score, supplementing it with fragments of non-ballet music by P. I. Tchaikovsky, have firmly entered the theatrical use.
Today, of all the existing editions of the ballet, there are hardly at least two that have completely identical theatrical scores. The most radical versions in this regard are considered to be the Viennese production by Rudolf Nureyev and the version by Vladimir Burmeister, and the most common replacements are the return in Act III of the variations of the main characters written by Tchaikovsky for pas de six And pas de deux Sobeshchanskaya and the inclusion in the 4th picture of a duet to the music of the second variation from pas de six. The "Swan" picture of Lev Ivanov is most accurately restored in the original performance by John Neumeier "Illusions - like" Swan Lake "" ().
Productions
19th century
Grand Theatre
- February 20 (March 4) - ballet in four acts, choreographer Wenzel Reisinger, stage director Stepan Ryabov (Odette and Odile - Polina Karpakova, then Anna Sobeshchanskaya)
- January 13 (25) of the year - the resumption of the ballet in a new edition, choreographer Josef Ganzen based on Reisinger's performance, with partial changes in the choreography.
- October 28 (November 9) - the resumption of the ballet, choreographer Hansen (Odette - Lydia Gaten)
Prague theater
- February 9, 1888 - Act II, choreographer - Augustine Berger (Odette - Juliet Paltrinieri)
Mariinskii Opera House
- February 17, 1894 - Act II (in the concert program "In Memory of P. I. Tchaikovsky") choreographer Lev Ivanov (Odette - Pierina Legnani, Prince Siegfried - Pavel Gerdt)
- January 15 (27) of the year - a full staging of the ballet in a new dramatic and musical edition in three acts, four scenes; libretto by M. I. Tchaikovsky, musical composition by R. E. Drigo and M. I. Petipa, choreographers Petipa (1st scene of the 1st act, 2nd act, he also carried out a preliminary development of dances and mise-en-scenes of the 3rd act ) and Ivanov (2nd scene of the 1st act in the version of 1894, Venetian and Hungarian dances in the 2nd act, 3rd act according to the plans of Petipa); male variation in the pas d'action of the 2nd act - A. A. Gorsky, since 1914, in his production, the Spanish dance was performed in the 2nd act.
XX century - our time
In Russia
Grand Theatre
- 1901 - transfer of the St. Petersburg performance of Petipa and Ivanov with a partial revision of the choreography, choreographer A. A. Gorsky, artists Alexander Golovin and Konstantin Korovin (Odette and Odile - Adeline Juri, Siegfried - Mikhail Mordkin)
- 1920 - new production, choreographer Alexander Gorsky, director V. I. Nemirovich-Danchenko, artist Konstantin Korovin (second act), conductor Andrey Arends (Odette - Elena Ilyushchenko, Odile - Maria Reizen)
- 1937 - resumption of the production of Gorsky with a new fourth scene, choreographers Yevgenia Dolinskaya (restoration of the 1st-3rd scenes) and Asaf Messerer (new production of the 4th scene), conductor Yuri Fayer (Odette and Odile - Marina Semyonova, Siegfried - Mikhail Gabovich, Rothbart - Pyotr Gusev)
- 1969 - Bolshoi Theatre, choreographer Yuri Grigorovich, artist Simon Virsaladze, conductor Algis Zhuraitis (Odette and Odile - Natalya Bessmertnova, Siegfried - Nikolai Fadeechev)
Theatre. Kirov / Mariinsky Theater
- 1933 - ballet in three acts and four scenes, a new production with the preservation of the main fragments of the choreography of Petipa and Ivanov; libretto by V. V. Dmitriev, musical composition by B. V. Asafiev, choreographer A. Ya. Vaganova, director S. E. Radlov, conductor Yevgeny Mravinsky. The part of the heroine was divided into two ballerinas for the first time (Odette - Galina Ulanova, Odile - Olga Jordan, Siegfried - Konstantin Sergeev)
- 1945 - the resumption of the production of Petipa and Ivanov in a new choreographic and director's edition, choreographer F. V. Lopukhov (, scenery - B. I. Volkova, costumes by Tatiana Bruni (Odette and Odile - Natalya Dudinskaya, Siegfried - Konstantin Sergeev, Rothbart - Robert Gerbek)
- March 8, 1950 - a new edition of the performance by Petipa and Ivanov, choreographer K. M. Sergeev - the performance is preserved in the repertoire of the Mariinsky Theater to the present
Maly Opera and Ballet Theater / Mikhailovsky Theater
- 1958 - resumption of the production of Petipa and Ivanov in the original version of 1895, choreographers Lopukhov and K. F. Boyarsky (Odette - Vera Stankevich, Odile - Tatyana Borovikova)
In subsequent years, the performance was repeatedly remade and resumed in separate parts.
- 2009 - the resumption of the Moscow production of A. M. Messerer in 1957, choreography by Petipa, Ivanov, Gorsky, Messerer, production and new choreographic version - M. G. Messerer - the performance is preserved in the repertoire of the Mikhailovsky Theater to the present
Moscow Musical Theater
- 1953 - Moscow Musical Theatre. Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko, choreographers Vladimir Burmeister and Pyotr Gusev (production of the 2nd act after Lev Ivanov, Odette and Odile - Violetta Bovt) - the performance is preserved in the theater's repertoire to the present
Abroad
Postage stamp of Kazakhstan, 2009, 180 tenge
- 1911 - New York, choreographer Mikhail Mordkin (he is also the performer of the part of Siegfried), Odette and Odile - Ekaterina Geltser
- 1925 - Belgrade, choreographer A. Fortunato
- 1928 - Tbilisi, choreographer R. Balanotti
- 1934 - London, choreographer
Yesterday we visited the ballet "Swan Lake" in the State Kremlin Palace. I am not a fan of ballet, before that I had only singled out one performance of this genre, but I could not miss one of the most famous ballets.
Expectations from the ballet were justified - I enjoyed Tchaikovsky's music more than from the action on stage.
And it's also interesting that after watching "The Ugly Duckling" Bardin was hard to keep and not sing along to Tchaikovsky's music. The fact is that Bardin shot a cartoon to the music of Tchaikovsky and even turned it into memorable songs)
For those who are interested, below is the libretto of Swan Lake.
P. I. Tchaikovsky "Swan Lake"
Libretto by V. Begichev, V. Geltser.
First action
First picture. Spring morning. On the shore of the lake, Prince Siegfried, Benno and the Prince's friends are having fun, dancing with peasant women, feasting. The Sovereign Princess appears - Siegfried's mother, accompanied by her retinue.
She reminds the Prince that the last day of his single life has come - tomorrow he comes of age, and he must choose a bride for himself. The Sovereign Princess introduces two brides to Siegfried and invites him to choose one of them. The prince is confused. Benno comes to his aid. Mother again offers Siegfried to choose a bride. He refuses. The Sovereign Princess leaves in anger with her retinue. Wanting to distract the Prince from unpleasant thoughts, Benno, the Jester, the Hunters involve him in their dance. But the Prince wants to be left alone. A flock of swans flies over the lake, and the Prince rushes to the lake.
Second picture. A flock of swans swims across the lake. The prince is surprised to see that the swans turn into girls. The swan queen Odette tells the Prince that she and her friends are the victims of the evil witchcraft of the wizard Rothbart, who turned them into swans. Only at night, near this lake, can they take on human form. The terrible spell will continue until someone loves her for life. The one who did not swear love to another girl can be her deliverer and return her to her former appearance. Siegfried is fascinated by Odette's beauty and volunteers to be her savior. He swears eternal love and fidelity to her. Dawn breaks. Odette says goodbye to her lover and hides with her friends. A flock of swans swims out onto the lake again.
Second act
Third picture. In the castle of the Sovereign Princess, there is a big ball dedicated to the coming of age of the Prince. At this ball, according to the will of his mother, Siegfried must finally choose his bride. Guests appear, brides and their retinue pass. The brides are dancing. The prince dances with the brides. Mother again asks Siegfried to make a choice. He hesitates. Suddenly, an unknown knight appears with a beautiful daughter. The resemblance between Odile and Odette confuses the Prince. Fascinated by her beauty, he does not notice anything around. Odile, in every possible way emphasizing her resemblance to the swan girl, seduces the Prince. Siegfried makes a choice - convinced that Odette and Odile are the same person, he declares Rothbart's daughter his bride and swears eternal love to her. Rothbart and Odile laugh at him. A white swan beats through the window of the castle. The prince rushes out of the castle. The Possessing Princess is in despair, everyone is trying to console her.
Third act
Fourth picture. Lake of swans. The swan girls anxiously await the return of Odette. In desperation, she tells them about Siegfried's betrayal. The evil genius has triumphed, and now the girls have no salvation. There is a storm on the lake. The Prince runs ashore, begging Odette for forgiveness. But Odette is destined to die. The Prince fights Rothbart. Mortally wounded, dying Rothbart destroys the Prince. Leaning over Siegfried, Odette fades away. But the swan girls are freed from Rothbart's evil sorcery.
"Swan Lake" ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in two acts and four acts.
Libretto - Vladimir Begichev.
Prologue.
A moonlit night, a lake, a beautiful princess Odette is walking along the shore. Suddenly, the shadow of a huge bird covers the moonlight. The evil wizard, Rothbart, rejected by Odette, casts an evil spell on the girl, Odette turns into a white swan. Only a prince who has fallen in love with Odette and keeping the oath of eternal allegiance.
Act one
Picture one
In the distance one can see the Siegfried family castle, a lawn, a river, a bridge, on the veranda the youth of the court celebrates the prince's coming of age, cheerful dances and laughter, the jester's dances. Suddenly, the sovereign princess, Siegfried's mother, appears, gives the prince a crossbow as a gift and recalls that tomorrow, at the ball, the prince must choose a bride. The fun subsides, the pensive prince sees a flock of swans and remembers his mother's gift.
Picture two
The shore of the lake, the prince follows the swans that have arrived for the night. Taking a crossbow in his hands, Siegfried takes aim at the swan and suddenly a flash of light appears Odette. Begging for mercy, she tells the story of the witchcraft of the Evil genius Rothbart. Odette, promises to destroy the evil spell of the sorcerer. The rest of the swans, turning into beauties, go ashore and dance for the prince. In a fit of love, Siegfried takes an oath of eternal fidelity to Odette, but the Evil genius Rothbart, hiding in the ruins, overhears the conversation.
Action twoPicture three
The castle, the ball in honor of the prince, the brides gather for the prince, but Siegfried informs the mother, the possessing princess, that he will not make a choice. All the prince's thoughts are about the beautiful Odette. The magician Rothbart appears at the ball, with his daughter Odette. fascinated and invites Odile to dance, a beautiful swan is beating in the window, but the prince does not see anything. Mother Declares Odile, the bride of the prince, the evil wizard makes Zigfid swear an oath of love and fidelity. Thunder, lightning, the light fades, the prince sees Odette in the window and understands insidious deception of the Evil Genius, but the evil happened, Rothbert triumphs and disappears from the ball. In desperation, the prince runs to the shore of the swan lake.
Picture Four
The shore of the lake, the prince is looking for Odette, he is in disarray, at dawn the girl must die from the spell of Rothbert. Siegfried begs for forgiveness, he understood the mistake, swearing an oath to Odette, he thought and saw Odile. The girl forgives him, but witchcraft does not work, The evil genius enjoys the suffering of lovers, he wants to destroy the prince. the prince fights in a deadly battle with Rothbart, he is ready to die for his beloved. Odette comes to the aid of the prince, the fight between good and evil is over, nothing can defeat true love. The spell falls, the magic is destroyed, the white swan turns into a girl.
Epilogue
Dawn, Siegfried and Odette meet the sunrise. Good triumphs, love conquers any witchcraft, Evil genius is defeated.
Chaikovsky. Ballet« Swan Lake»
Ballet to music by Pyotr Tchaikovsky in four acts. Libretto by V. Begichev and V. Geltser
Characters:
Odette, the swan queen (good fairy)
Odile, daughter of an evil genius who looks like Odette
Possessing princess
Prince Siegfried, her son
Benno von Sommerstern, friend of the prince
Wolfgang, Prince's tutor
Knight Rothbart, an evil genius disguised as a guest
Baron von Stein
Baroness, his wife
Baron von Schwarzfels
Baroness, his wife
Master of Ceremonies
Skorokhod
Friends of the prince, gentlemen of the court, ladies and pages in the retinue of the princess, lackeys, settlers, villagers, servants, swans and swans
The action takes place in a fairy-tale land in fairy-tale times.
History of creation
In 1875, the directorate of the imperial theaters turned to Tchaikovsky with an unusual order. He was asked to write the ballet "Lake of Swans". This order was unusual because previously "serious" composers of ballet music did not write. The only exceptions were works in this genre by Adana and Delibes. Against the expectations of many, Tchaikovsky accepted the order. The scenario offered to him by V. Begichev (1838-1891) and V. Geltser (1840-1908) was based on the motifs of fairy tales found among different peoples about bewitched girls turned into swans. Curiously, four years earlier, in 1871, the composer had written a one-act ballet for children called The Lake of the Swans, so he may have had the idea of using this very plot in the big ballet. The theme of all-conquering love, triumphing even over death, was close to him: by that time, the symphonic overture-fantasy "Romeo and Juliet" had already appeared in his creative portfolio, and the following year, after turning to "Swan Lake" (this is how the ballet in final version), but even before its completion, "Francesca da Rimini" was created.
The composer approached the order very responsibly. According to the memoirs of his contemporaries, “before writing the ballet, he sought for a long time who he could contact in order to obtain accurate data on the music necessary for dancing. He even asked ... what should he do with the dances, what should be their length, score, etc.” Tchaikovsky carefully studied various ballet scores in order to understand "this kind of composition in detail." Only then did he start writing. At the end of the summer of 1875, the first two acts were written, at the beginning of winter, the last two. In the spring of the following year, the composer orchestrated what he had written and finished work on the score. In autumn, the theater was already working on a production of the ballet. It began to be carried out by V. Reisinger (1827-1892), invited to Moscow in 1873 to the post of ballet master of the Moscow Bolshoi Theater. Unfortunately, he turned out to be an unimportant director. His ballets throughout 1873-1875 invariably failed, and when in 1877 another of his performances appeared on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater - the premiere of Swan Lake took place on February 20 (March 4, according to a new style) - this event went unnoticed. Actually, from the point of view of balletomanes, this was not an event: the performance was unsuccessful and left the stage eight years later.
The true birth of Tchaikovsky's first ballet took place more than twenty years later, after the composer's death. The directorate of the imperial theaters was going to stage Swan Lake in the 1893-1894 season. The directorate had at its disposal two excellent choreographers - the venerable Marius Petipa (1818-1910), who had been working in St. Petipa, who staged mainly small ballets and divertissements on the stages of the Mariinsky, Kamennoostrovsky and Krasnoselsky theaters. Ivanov was remarkable for his amazing musicality and brilliant memory. He was a real nugget, some researchers call him the "soul of Russian ballet." A student of Petipa, Ivanov gave the work of his teacher even greater depth and a purely Russian character. However, he could create his choreographic compositions only to beautiful music. His best achievements include, in addition to the scenes of "Swan Lake", "Polovtsian Dances" in "Prince Igor" and "Hungarian Rhapsody" to the music of Liszt.
The script for the new production of the ballet was developed by Petipa himself. In the spring of 1893, his joint work with Tchaikovsky began, interrupted by the untimely death of the composer. Shaken both by Tchaikovsky's death and by his personal losses, Petipa fell ill. At the evening dedicated to the memory of Tchaikovsky and held on February 17, 1894, among other numbers, the 2nd scene of "Swan Lake" staged by Ivanov was performed. With this production, Ivanov opened a new page in the history of Russian choreography and gained fame as a great artist. Until now, some troupes stage it as a separate independent work. “... Lev Ivanov's discoveries in Swan Lake are a brilliant breakthrough into the 20th century,” writes V. Krasovskaya. Highly appreciating Ivanov's choreographic findings, Petipa entrusted him with the swan scenes. In addition, Ivanov staged Czardas and the Venetian dance to the music of the Neapolitan (subsequently released). After recovering, Petipa finished the production with his characteristic skill. Unfortunately, a new plot twist - a happy ending instead of the originally conceived tragic one - proposed by Modest Tchaikovsky, brother and librettist of some of the composer's operas, led to the relative failure of the finale.
On January 15, 1895, the premiere took place at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, which gave a long life to Swan Lake. Ballet throughout the 20th century was performed on many stages in various versions. His choreography was inspired by A. Gorsky (1871-1924), A. Vaganova (1879-1951), K. Sergeev (1910-1992), Lopukhov (1886-1973).
Libretto
First production :
Composer: P. I. Tchaikovsky.
Screenplay: V. P. Begichev, V. F. Geltser.
First performance: 20.2.1877, Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow.
Choreographer: V. Reisinger.
Artists: K. F. Waltz (II and IV acts), I. Shangin (I act) and K. Groppius (III act).
Conductor: S. Ya. Ryabov.
The first performers: Odette-Odile - P. M. Karpakova, Siegfried - A. K. Gillert, Rothbart - S. P. Sokolov.
LIBRETTO 1877
Libretto published for the premiere of Swan Lake staged by V. Reisinger at the Bolshoi Theater of Moscow on Sunday, February 20 (old style), 1877. Cit. Quoted from: A. Demidov. "Swan Lake", Moscow: Art, 1985; ss. 73-77.
Characters
Odette, the good fairy, The sovereign princess, Prince Siegfried, her son, Wolfgang, his tutor, Benno von Somerstern, the prince's friend, Von Rothbart, the evil genius disguised as a guest, Odile, his daughter who looks like Odette, Master of Ceremonies, Baron von Stein , Baroness, his wife, Freiger von Schwarzfels, His wife, 1, 2, 3 - court cavaliers, friends of the prince, Herold, Skorokhod, 1, 2, 3, 4 - villagers, Courtiers of both sexes, heralds, guests, pages, villagers and villagers, servants, swans and swans.
Act one
The action takes place in Germany. The scenery of the first act depicts a luxurious park, in the depths of which one can see the castle. A beautiful bridge spans the stream. On the stage, the young sovereign prince Siegfried, celebrating his coming of age. The prince's friends sit at tables and sip wine. The peasants who came to congratulate the prince and, of course, the peasant women, at the request of the old tipsy Wolfgang, the young prince's mentor, dance. The prince treats the dancing men with wine, and Wolfgang takes care of the peasant women, presents them with ribbons and bouquets. The dances are more lively. A runner runs in and announces to the prince that the princess, his mother, wishing to talk with him, will now deign to come here herself. The news upsets the fun, the dancing stops, the peasants fade into the background, the servants rush to clear the tables, hide the bottles, etc. The venerable mentor, realizing that he sets a bad example for his pupil, tries to pretend to be a businesslike and sober person. Finally, she herself princess, accompanied by her retinue. All guests and peasants bow to her respectfully. The young prince, followed by his sloppy and staggering mentor, go towards the princess. The princess, noticing her son’s embarrassment, explains to him that she did not come here at all to upset the fun, interfere with him, but because she needs to talk to him about his marriage, for which the present day of his coming of age was chosen. “I am old,” continues the princess, “and therefore I want you to marry during my lifetime. I want to die, knowing that by your marriage you did not shame our famous family. ”The prince, who is not yet married, although he is annoyed at his mother’s proposal, is ready to submit and respectfully asks his mother: who did she choose for him as a friend of life?
I have not chosen anyone yet, - the mother answers, - because I want you to do it yourself. Tomorrow I have a big ball, which will be attended by nobles with their daughters. Of these, you will have to choose the one that you like, and she will be your wife. Siegfried sees that it is not yet particularly bad, and therefore replies that I will never leave your obedience, maman.
I said everything that is needed, - the princess answers this, - and I'm leaving. Have fun without being shy. As she leaves, her friends surround the prince, and he tells them the sad news.
The end of our fun, goodbye dear freedom - he says.
It's still a long song, - knight Benno soothes him. - Now, for now, the future is on the side, when the present smiles at us, when it is ours!
And that's true, - the prince laughs, The revelry begins again. Peasants dance either in groups or separately. The venerable Wolfgang, having drunk a little more, also starts to dance and dances, of course, so hilariously funny that everyone laughs. Having danced, Wolfgang begins courting, but the peasant women laugh at him and run away from him. He especially liked one of them, and, having previously declared his love for her, he wants to kiss her, but the cheat dodges, and, as always happens in ballets, he kisses her fiancé instead. Wolfgang's perplexity. The general laughter of those present. But now the night is coming soon; getting dark. One of the guests offers to dance with cups. Those present willingly fulfill the offer. From a distance a flying flock of swans is shown.
But it's hard to hit them, - Benno encourages the prince, pointing him to the swans.
That's nonsense, - answers the prince, - I'll hit, probably, bring a gun.
Don't, Wolfgang dissuades, don't: it's time to sleep. The prince pretends that in fact, perhaps, it's not necessary, it's time to sleep. But as soon as the calmed old man leaves, he calls the servant, takes a gun and hastily runs away with Benno in the direction where the swans flew.
Action two
Mountainous, wilderness, forest on all sides. In the depths of the scene there is a lake, on the shore of which, to the right of the viewer, a dilapidated building, something like a chapel. Night. The moon is shining. A flock of white swans with swans is floating on the lake. The herd floats towards the ruins. In front of him is a swan with a crown on his head. The tired prince and Benno enter the stage.
Perhaps, - answers Siegfried. - We must be far removed from the castle? Perhaps you will have to spend the night here ... Look, - he points to the lake, - that's where the swans are. Quick gun! Benno hands him a gun; the prince has just had time to take aim, as the swans instantly disappear. At the same moment, the interior of the ruins is illuminated by some unusual light.
Fly away! Annoying... But look, what is it? And the prince points Benno to the illuminated ruins.
Strange! Benno is surprised. This place must be enchanted.
This is what we are exploring now, - the prince answers and heads for the ruins. As soon as he has time to get there, a girl in white clothes, in a crown of precious stones, appears on the steps of the stairs. The girl is illuminated by moonlight. Surprised, Siegfried and Benno retreat from the ruins. Shaking her head sullenly, the girl asks the prince:
Why are you following me, knight? What have I done to you? The embarrassed prince replies:
I didn't think... I didn't expect... The girl comes down the steps, quietly approaches the prince and, putting her hand on his shoulder, says reproachfully:
That swan you wanted to kill was me!
You?! Swan?! Can't be!
Yes, listen ... My name is Odette, my mother is a good fairy; she, contrary to the will of her father, passionately, madly in love with one noble knight and married him, but he ruined her - and she was gone. My father married another, forgot about me, and the evil stepmother, who was a sorceress, hated me and almost exhausted me. But my grandfather took me to him. The old man loved my mother terribly and wept so much for her that this lake accumulated from his tears, and there, in the very depths, he went himself and hid me from people. Now, recently, he began to pamper me and gives me complete freedom to have fun. In the daytime, with my friends, we turn into swans and, cheerfully cutting through the air with our chest, we fly high, high, almost to the very sky, and at night we play and dance here, near our old man. But my stepmother still does not leave me or even my friends alone ... At that moment, an owl screams.
Look, there she is! A huge owl with glowing eyes appears on the ruins.
She would have killed me long ago,” Odette continues. - But grandfather vigilantly watches her and does not allow me to be offended. With my marriage, the sorceress will lose the opportunity to harm me, and until then only this crown will save me from her malice. That's it, my story is not long.
Oh, forgive me, beauty, forgive me! - says the embarrassed prince, throwing himself on his knees. Strings of young girls and children run out of the ruins, and everyone reproachfully turns to the young hunter, saying that because of empty fun he almost deprived them of the one that is dearest to them. The prince and his friend are in despair.
Enough, says Odette, stop it. You see, he is kind, he is sad, he is sorry for me. The prince takes his gun and, quickly breaking it, throws it away from him, saying:
I swear, from now on my hand will never rise to kill any bird!
Calm down, knight. Let's forget everything and let's have fun with us. Dances begin, in which the prince and Benno take part. Swans either form beautiful groups or dance alone. The Prince is constantly near Odette; while dancing, he falls madly in love with Odette and begs her not to reject his love (Pas d'action). Odette laughs and does not believe him.
You don't believe me, cold, cruel Odette!
I'm afraid to believe, noble knight, I'm afraid that your imagination is only deceiving you - tomorrow at your mother's holiday you will see many lovely young girls and fall in love with another, forget about me.
Oh never! I swear on my knighthood!
Well, listen: I won’t hide from you that I like you too, I also fell in love with you, but a terrible premonition takes possession of me. It seems to me that the machinations of this sorceress, preparing some kind of test for you, will destroy our happiness.
I challenge the whole world! You, you alone I will love all my life! And no charms of this sorceress will destroy my happiness!
Well, tomorrow our fate must be decided: either you will never see me again, or I myself will humbly lay down my crown at your feet. But enough, it's time to part, the dawn is breaking. Farewell - until tomorrow! Odette and her friends are hiding in the ruins, the dawn is on fire in the sky, a flock of swans swims out on the lake, and above them, heavily flapping its wings, a large owl flies.
(A curtain)
Act Three
Luxurious hall in the castle of the princess, everything is prepared for the holiday. Old man Wolfgang gives the last orders to the servants. The Master of Ceremonies meets and accommodates guests. The herald who appears announces the arrival of the princess with the young prince, who enter, accompanied by their courtiers, pages and dwarfs, and, bowing kindly to the guests, take the places of honor prepared for them. The master of ceremonies, at a sign from the princess, gives the order to start dancing. The guests, both men and women, form different groups, dwarfs dance. The sound of the trumpet announces the arrival of new guests; the master of ceremonies goes to meet them, and the herald proclaims their names to the princess. The old count enters with his wife and young daughter, they bow respectfully to the owners, and the daughter, at the invitation of the princess, takes part in the dances. Then again the sound of the trumpet, again the master of ceremonies and the herald perform their duties: new guests enter ... The master of ceremonies places the old people, and the young girls are invited by the princess to dance. After several such exits, the princess calls her son aside and asks him which of the girls made a good impression on him? .. The prince sadly answers her:
Until now, I have not liked any of them, mother. The princess shrugs her shoulders with annoyance, calls Wolfgang and angrily tells him the words of her son, the mentor tries to persuade his pet, but the sound of a trumpet is heard, and von Rothbart enters the hall with his daughter Odile. The prince, at the sight of Odile, is struck by her beauty, her face reminds him of his Swan-Odette. He calls his friend Benno and asks him:
Isn't it true how much she looks like Odette?
But in my opinion - not at all ... you see your Odette everywhere, ”Benno answers. The prince admires the dancing Odile for a while, then takes part in the dance himself. The princess is very happy, calls Wolfgang and tells him that it seems that this guest made an impression on her son?
Oh yes, - answers Wolfgang, - wait a bit, the young prince is not a stone, in a short time he will fall in love without a mind, without memory. Meanwhile, the dancing continues, and during them the prince shows a clear preference for Odile, who coquettishly poses in front of him. In a moment of passion, the prince kisses Odile's hand. Then the princess and old man Rothbart get up from their seats and go to the middle, to the dancers.
My son, - says the princess, - you can only kiss your bride's hand.
I'm ready, mother!
What would her father say to that? says the princess. Von Rothbart solemnly takes his daughter's hand and passes it to the young prince. The scene instantly darkens, an owl calls, clothes fall off von Rothbart, and he appears in the form of a demon. Odile laughs. The window swings open noisily, and a white swan with a crown on its head appears on the window. The prince with horror throws the hand of his new girlfriend and, clutching her heart, runs out of the castle.
(A curtain)
Fourth act
Scenery of the second act. Night. Odette's friends are waiting for her return; some of them wonder where she could have gone; they are sad without her, and they try to amuse themselves by dancing themselves and making young swans dance. But then Odette runs onto the stage, her hair from under the crown is scattered around her shoulders in a mess, she is in tears and despair; her friends surround her and ask what's wrong with her?
He did not fulfill his oath, he did not pass the test! - says Odette. Indignantly, her friends persuade her not to think about the traitor anymore.
But I love him,” says Odette sadly.
Poor, poor! Let's fly away, here he comes.
He?! - Odette says with fright and runs to the ruins, but suddenly stops and says: - I want to see him for the last time.
But you will ruin yourself!
Oh no! I'll be careful. Go, sisters, and wait for me. Everyone goes into the ruins. Thunder is heard ... First, separate peals, and then closer and closer; the scene is darkened by the oncoming clouds, which are illuminated from time to time by lightning; the lake begins to sway. The prince runs onto the stage.
Odette... here! he says and runs up to her. “Oh, forgive me, forgive me, dear Odette.
It's not in my will to forgive you, it's over. We see each other for the last time! The Prince implores her fervently, Odette remains adamant. She timidly looks around at the surging lake and, escaping from the arms of the prince, runs towards the ruins. The prince catches up with her, takes her by the hand and says in despair:
So no, no! Willingly or unwillingly, but you stay with me forever! He quickly tears off the crown from her head and throws it into a stormy lake, which has already burst its banks. An owl flies overhead with a cry, carrying in its claws the crown of Odette thrown by the prince.
What did you do! You have destroyed yourself and me. I'm dying, - says Odette, falling into the hands of the prince, and through the roar of thunder and the sound of the waves, the sad last song of the swan is heard. The waves one after another run on the prince and Odette, and soon they disappear under the water. The storm subsides, the weakening rumbles of thunder are barely audible in the distance; the moon cuts its pale ray through the dispersing clouds, and a flock of white swans appears on the calming lake.
LIBRETTO 1895 Classic version:
Classic version:
First performance: 15.1.1895, Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg.
Choreographers: M. I. Petipa (acts I and III), L. I. Ivanov (acts II and IV, Venetian and Hungarian dances of act III).
Artists: I. P. Andreev, M. I. Bocharov, G. Levot (sets), E. P. Ponomarev (costumes).
Conductor: R. E. Drigo.
The first performers: Odette-Odile - P. Legnani, Siegfried - P. A. Gerdt, Rothbart - A. D. Bulgakov.
Characters
Possessing princess, Prince Siegfried, her son, Benno, his friend, Wolfgang, the prince's tutor, Odette, the swan queen, Von-Rothbardt, the evil genius, disguised as a guest, Odile, his daughter, similar to Odette, Master of Ceremonies, herald, friends of the prince , court cavaliers, footmen, court ladies and pages in the retinue of princesses, brides, settlers, villagers, swans, swans
The action takes place in fabulous times, in Germany.
Act one
Painting I
Park in front of the castle.
Scene 1.
Benno and his comrades are waiting for Prince Siegfried to celebrate his coming of age with him. Prince Siegfried enters, accompanied by Wolfgang. The feast begins. Peasant girls and boys come to bring congratulations to the prince, who orders the men to be treated with wine, and the girls to be presented with ribbons. Drunk Wolfgang manages the execution of the orders of his pupil. Dancing peasants.
Scene 2
Servants run in and announce the approach of the Princess Mother. This news upsets the general merriment. The dancing stops, the servants hurry to clear the tables and hide the traces of the feast. The youth and Wolfgang make an effort to pretend to be sober. The Princess enters, preceded by her retinue; Siegfried goes to meet his mother, greeting her respectfully. She affectionately rebukes him for trying to deceive her. She knows that he was feasting now, and she came not to prevent him from having fun in the circle of comrades, but to remind him that the last day of his single life had come and that tomorrow he should become a bridegroom.
To the question: who is his bride? The princess replies that tomorrow's ball will decide this, to which she has called all the girls worthy of becoming her daughter and his wife; he chooses the one he likes best. Having allowed the interrupted feast to continue, the princess leaves.
Scene 3
The prince is thoughtful: he is sad to part with a free, single life. Benno persuades him not to spoil the pleasant present by worrying about the future. Siegfried gives a sign to continue the amusements. The feasting and dancing resume. Completely intoxicated Wolfgang makes everyone laugh with his participation in the dances.
Scene 4
It's evening. One more farewell dance and it's time to leave. Cup dance.
Scene 5
A flock of swans is flying by. Youth is not up to sleep. The sight of the swans makes them think of ending the day with a hunt. Benno knows where the swans flock to at night. Leaving the intoxicated Wolfgang, Siegfried and the young people leave.
Scene II
Rocky wilderness. At the back of the stage is a lake. To the right, on the shore, are the ruins of a chapel. Moonlight night.
Scene 1
A flock of white swans floats on the lake. Ahead of all is a swan with a crown on its head.
Scene 2
Enter Benno with some of the prince's entourage. Noticing the swans, they prepare to shoot them, but the swans swim away. Benno, having sent his companions to report to the prince that they had found the herd, is left alone. Swans, having turned into young beauties, surround Benno, struck by a magical phenomenon and powerless against their charms. His comrades return, preceded by the prince. When they appear, the swans retreat. Young people are going to shoot them. The prince enters and also takes aim, but at this time the ruins are illuminated by a magical light and Odette appears, begging for mercy.
Scene 3
Siegfried, struck by her beauty, forbids his comrades from shooting. She expresses her gratitude to him and tells that she is Princess Odette and the girls subject to her are the unfortunate victims of the evil genius who bewitched them, and they are condemned to take the form of swans during the day and only at night, near these ruins, can they retain their human appearance. Their master, in the form of an owl, guards them. His terrible spell will continue until someone falls in love with her forever, for life; only a man who has not sworn love to any other girl can be her deliverer and restore her to her former image. Siegfried, fascinated, listens to Odette. At this time, the owl arrives and, having turned into an evil genius, appears in the ruins and, having overheard their conversation, disappears. Siegfried is horrified at the thought that he could kill Odette when she was in the form of a swan. He breaks his bow and throws it away indignantly. Odette consoles the young prince.
Scene 4
Odette calls all her friends and together with them tries to disperse him by dancing. Siegfried is more and more fascinated by the beauty of Princess Odette and volunteers to be her savior. He has never sworn love to anyone and therefore can save her from the spell of the owl. He will kill him and free Odette. The latter replies that it is impossible. The death of the evil genius will come only at the moment when some madman sacrifices himself for the love of Odette. Siegfried is ready for that too; For her sake, he is happy to die. Odette believes in his love, believes that he never swore. But tomorrow the day will come when a host of beauties will come to his mother's court and he will be obliged to choose one of them as his wife. Siegfried says that he will only be a groom when she, Odette, comes to the ball. The unfortunate girl replies that this is impossible, because at that time she could only fly around the castle in the form of a swan. The prince swears that he will never cheat on her. Odette, touched by the love of the young man, accepts his oath, but warns that the evil genius will do everything to snatch an oath from him to another girl. Siegfried also promises that no spell will take Odette away from him.
Scene 5
Dawn breaks. Odette says goodbye to her lover and hides in the ruins with her friends. The light of dawn is getting brighter. A flock of swans again swims up on the lake, and above them, heavily flapping its wings, a large owl flies.
Action two
Luxurious room. Everything is ready for the holiday.
Scene 1
The Master of Ceremonies gives final orders to the servants. He meets and accommodates arriving guests. Exit of the princess and Siegfried in the forerunner of the court. Procession of brides and their parents. General dance. Waltz of the brides.
The princess mother asks her son which of the girls he likes best. Siegfried finds them all charming, but does not see a single one to whom he could swear an oath of eternal love.
Scene 3
Trumpets herald the arrival of new guests. Von Rothbardt enters with his daughter Odile. Siegfried is struck by her resemblance to Odette and greets her admiringly. Odette, in the form of a swan, appears at the window, warning her lover against the spell of an evil genius. But he, carried away by the beauty of the new guest, hears nothing and sees nothing but her. The dancing starts again.
Scene 4
Siegfried's choice is made. Confident that Odile and Odette are one and the same person, he chooses her as his bride. Von-Rothbardt solemnly takes his daughter's hand and passes it to the young man, who pronounces the oath of eternal love in front of everyone. At this moment, Siegfried sees Odette in the window. He realizes that he has become a victim of deceit, but it is too late: the oath is pronounced, Rothbardt and Odile disappear. Odette must forever remain in the power of the evil genius, who, in the form of an owl, appears above her in the window. The unfortunate prince runs away in a fit of despair. General confusion.
