The mystique of Swan Lake

Even if you haven't witnessed the storybook ballet of Swan Lake live in the theatre, you've
probably seen some reincarnation of this classic love story elsewhere. My favorite
movie as a seven-year-old was The Swan
Princess, an animated children's version of the story, complete with a
talking French frog named Jean-Bob and a happy ending. And I'll bet you've
experienced the hype about Black Swan,
the twisted thriller with star Natalie Portman dancing the role of Odette. Why
is this story such an enduring tale? What is it that enchants generation after
generation?

1.) Love. Love is
often the ultimate theme for dance, movies, and lyrics alike. This is the love story
of Princess Odette, who is turned into a swan by the evil sorcerer von Rothbart,
and must fight for her love of Prince Siegfried.

2.) Heartbreak.
You can't have an enthralling love story without a little heartbreak. In Swan Lake, there's plenty of that. Von
Rothbart's trickery eludes the lovers and brings tragedy into the equation.

3.) Bad guys.
Every good plot needs a bad guy. Von Rothbart is the ultimate bad guy, tearing
apart these two lovers and driving them to pain.

4.) Russian
choreography. No one does it better than the Russians. They're trained in
classic choreography, with precision, grace, discipline, and effortless
athleticism, making them irresistible to watch.

5.) Beautiful sets
and music. Master Tchaikovsky's gorgeous music to accompany such a tumultuous
tale, and the set comes to life and brings the story off the stage and into our
hearts.

See the enchantment for yourself on Feb 3, performed by
Voronezh State Ballet Theatre of Russia.

~Melissa Wray, Marketing Intern & U of M Student