Dreaming of Swan Lake

So, last night to cheer myself up, I went over to Lincoln Center and bought myself a ticket to the most romantic ballet of all time, Swan Lake. Now there are people out there who might quibble that Sleeping Beauty or Romeo & Juliet are more romantic but for my money, it's the Swan Queen all the way.

For one thing, it has the most lush and romantic score by Tchaikovsky. Who can't help but be moved by the love between the doomed Swan Queen, Odette and her prince Sigfried? A little brief synopsis: It's Siggy's 21st birthday, and he's a little down despite all the festivities, so his pal Benno suggests they go hunting, because nothing perks up the spirit like shooting a defenseless animal. Nowadays, they'd just prescribe him Zoloft and call it a day.

Well Siggy and Benno stumble upon a flock of swans who turn out to be women. Odette, the Queen of the Swans tells Siggy that she's been cursed by the evil von Rothbart to only be able to retain her human form between the hours of midnight and dawn. Don't ask me what Siggy and his friend are doing out hunting at midnight. Siggy falls in love and gives his promise that he will love her forever. At Siggy's birthday ball, he's tricked by Von Rothbart and Odette's doppelganger, Odile, a sexy chick in a black tutu, who makes him believe she's his beloved Odette. He's fooled, and proposes marriage. The trick is exposed, and Siggy runs off to the lake to beg forgiveness. Odette forgives him, and they decide to throw themselves in the lake. Their sacrifice frees the other swans from Von Rothbarts spell, and destroy him forever.

At least that's how it's supposed to go. In City Ballet's version, Odette forgives him but it's too late and she's doomed to be a swan forever, with Sigfried mourning his lost love and his own studpidity. Probably more realistic, but much less romantic.

Despite the ending and the crayola colored costumes, I really liked the production but then as I said, I'm a sucker for Swan Lake. When I studied ballet at ABT, I would see every single performance of Swan Lake. My goal was just to be good enough to join a corps so that I could be in Swan Lake. I could have danced it every day and been a happy camper. I used to starve myself and take two classes a day to achieve my goal (sound familiar?), until I realized that no matter how little I ate, I was never going to be a pinhead like Gelsey Kirkland. Unfortunately, after 7 years, I realized that I didn't have a ballet body but it didn't kill my love for Swan Lake.

From the poignant strings that signal the beginning of the White Swan Pas De Deux through the 32 fouettes of the Black Swan, I'm in Swan heaven. Hard to believe that the first production of the ballet was a failure, devastating Tchaikovsky who didn't compose another ballet score for 12 years. It wasn't until 2 years after his death, that the Swan Lake we know now was created as a memorial to Tchaikovsky.

What a fitting tribute to one of the most romantic and tortured composers of all time.

After seeing the ballet, and a lovely glass of champagne during the interval, my heart was so much lighter, I literally danced home in the rain.