Choreography by L. Ivanov, M. Petіpа, O. Gorsky, P. Malhasiants
Libretto V. Begichev and V. Geltser
“Swan Lake” is a combination of reality and magic that is destroyed only by the power of love. The plot tells the story about the love of beautiful Odette and Prince Siegfried, and an evil sorcerer Rothbart who stands in their path to happiness. Lovers face dreadful ordeals to be together. Not only the plot of the ballet is filled with magic, but also the charming dance steps and the wonderful music of Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Owing to the combination of a fascinating storyline, refined choreography and great music, the ballet has become a legend of the world ballet classics.
| Балетмейстер-постановник |
Petros Malkhasyants Honored artist of Ukraine |
| Диригент-постановник |
Ruslan Dorozhivsky Honored Art Worker of Ukraine |
| Диригент |
Yurii Bervetskyi Honored artist of Ukraine Myron Yusypovyсh People’s Artist of Ukraine |
| Художник-постановник |
Yevhen Lysyk People's Artist of Ukraine, Laureate of the Shevchenko National Prize |
| Художник костюмів |
Oksana Zinchenko Honored Artist of Ukraine |
Scene 1
The Prince’s Birthday Party: It is Prince Siegfried’s twenty-first birthday and he is celebrating with friends. The Queen Mother arrives to give him his present, a crossbow, and reminds him that, as he is to become King, he must choose a bride at the ball the next evening. Siegfried, realizing that his carefree days are at an end, leaves the party at the height of the festivities to seek the solace in the woods.
Scene 2
Siegfried finds himself on the banks of a mysterious lake. In the shimmering patches of moonlight on the water, visions of bewitched swan maidens rise up before him. Siegfried catches sight of Odette, the most beautiful of the maidens. At last, he has found his romantic ideal of love. He swears to Odette that he will love her forever and be faithful to her. She admits that she and her companions are victims of a terrible spell cast by the evil sorcerer Rothbart. By day they are turned into swans and only at night they return to human form. The spell can only be broken if one who has never loved before swears to love Odette forever.
The next night, the Queen hosts a ball and presents eligible princesses to her son. The Prince must choose one of them to be his wife. Suddenly a couple of new guests are announced. The evil sorcerer, Rothbart, enters in the guise of a noble knight, followed by Odile, who looks remarkably like Odette. The similarity is so close that Siegfried believes that it is Odette standing there before him. Siegfried proclaims that Odile is to be his bride. Rothbard has triumphed! Siegfried has broken his oath to Odette, betraying her by professing love to another, thereby dooming Odette and the others to an eternity under Rothbart’s evil power. Suddenly a vision of the Swan Lake appears before Siegfried’s eyes. He realizes the terrible mistake he has made. In despair he leaves the palace and hurries to Odette at the Lake.
Night-time. A deep gloom overhangs the lake. Odette brings the tragic news; the Prince has broken his vow of faithfulness to her. Siegfried’s conscience is deeply troubled; he hurries towards Odette begging for her forgiveness. She forgives him and the pair reaffirms their love. Rothbart appears and insists that Siegfried fulfill his pledge to marry Odile. The sorcerer attempts to conceal Odette from Siegfried, but no power can stop the young man whose heart is full of love. This breaks Rothbart’s spell over the swan maidens, causing him to lose his power over them and he dies.
Lviv National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater named after S. Krushelnytska staged all three ballets of Pyotr Tchaikovsky: “Swan Lake”, “Nutcracker” and “Sleeping Beauty”. Of course, the first one was the “Swan Lake”; the ballet was included in the repertoire of the theater in the 1920s and still is one of the most popular.
“Swan Lake” is a combination of reality and magic that is destroyed only by the power of love. The plot tells the story about the love of beautiful Odette and Prince Siegfried, and an evil sorcerer Rothbart who stands in their path to happiness. Lovers face dreadful ordeals to be together. Not only the plot of the ballet is filled with magic, but also the charming dance steps and the wonderful music of Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Owing to the combination of a fascinating storyline, refined choreography and great music, the ballet has become a legend of the world ballet classics.
Numerous costumes, designed by Oksana Zinchenko, confirm good impressions: white classic tutus of delicate swans, bright dresses of dancers on the ball, black gowns of cunning Odile and evil sorcerer Rothbart. Dancers of Lviv National Opera regularly present this work not only to Lviv audience, but also on tours in different cities of Ukraine and around the world.
| Odette |
Darja Emeljyanceva Daryna Kirik Jaryna Kotys diploma of the international competition Albina Jakimenko winner of the Pisarev's award |
| Odile (the Black Swan) |
Darja Emeljyanceva Daryna Kirik Jaryna Kotys diploma of the international competition Albina Jakimenko winner of the Pisarev's award |
| Prince Siegfried |
Serhiy Kachura Honored artist of Ukraine Arsen Marusenko Yevheniy Svetlitsa People's аrtist of Ukraine Oleksandr Omelchenko International ballet competitions prizewinner |
| The Evil Genius |
Serhiy Kachura Honored artist of Ukraine Sviatoslav Kashchiy Andriy Mykhalikha Yevheniy Svetlitsa People's аrtist of Ukraine Dmytro Kolomiets |
| The Fool |
Andriy Adonin Serhiy Lomovitsky |
| The Princess Mother |
Anna Yefremeniuk Uljana Korchevska |
| The Tutor |
Andriy Bilous |
| Pas de trois |
Victoria Zvarych Darja Emeljyanceva Yuliya Yermolenko Dariya Cosminа Yuliya Mykhalikha-Roma Nataliya Pelo Andriy Adonin Arsen Marusenko Andriy Mykhalikha Yevheniy Svetlitsa People's аrtist of Ukraine |
| Small Swans |
Ulyana Barna Anastasia Gnatyshyn Darja Emeljyanceva Iryna Lampiko Julia Ryza Olesya Marchuk Viktoriya Tkach Roksolyana Iskra Natalia Ruzyak Anastasia Bondar Ilona Kravchenko Andriy Havrin |
| Great Swans |
Yuliya Yermolenko Daryna Kirik Inna Kluchnyk Uljana Korchevska Dariya Cosminа Jaryna Kotys diploma of the international competition Yuliya Mykhalikha-Roma |
| Spanish dance |
Aleкsandra Belik Zoryana Dvorska Yuliya Yermolenko Nataliya Pelo Olha Polyakova Viktor Gatselyuk Andriy Mykhalikha Viкtor Malinovsky Оleksandr Habelko Milena Rusanova |
| Neapolitan Dance (solo) |
Anastasia Gnatyshyn Darja Emeljyanceva Julia Ryza Natalia Ruzyak Myroslav Melnyk Volodymyr Sudomliak |
| Hungarian dance (solo) |
Julia Ryza Bohdan Kluchnyk Andriy Mykhalikha Olga Fabianska Sviatoslav Kashchiy |
| Violin solo |
Andriy Chaikovskyy Yuriy Votynsky |