Swan Lake

SWAN LAKE | Rudi van Dantzig – Toer van Schayk / Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Classical ballet in three acts

Performance length: 3 hours 45 minutes, with 2 intermissions.

Tchaikovsky’s first ballet is the most beloved classical piece in ballet literature: while the hardships of love between a prince forced into marriage and a maiden enchanted into the form of a swan is one of the most charming Russian romantic fairy tales, the piece nevertheless failed at its original premiere in 1877. The choreographers creating the premiere were simply not equal to Tchaikovsky’s genius. It was Marius Petipa's and Lev Ivanov's choreography that brought fame for the piece and established a tradition, and most companies to this day still dance the piece following this blueprint. Rudi van Dantzig and Toer van Schayk revised this classic creative work in 1988.

The same female ballet dancer portrays both Odette – the pure, innocent white swan– and Odile – the seductive, manipulative black swan in the Hungarian National Ballet’s production.

Synopsis

Act I

Siegfried’s birthday party in the castle garden To celebrate Siegfried’s eighteenth birthday, Alexander and the courtiers and neighbours have organized a surprise party for him in the garden of the castle. The Prince’s tutor Von Rasposen is irritated by Siegfried and Alexander’s friendly relationship with the local peasants. The festivities are interrupted by the arrival of the Queen, the Prince’s mother. She presents her son with a ring reminding him of his future role as successor to the throne: he will soon have to choose a bride. Siegfried is downcast at the prospect of his youth drawing to a close. As darkness falls he and Alexander ponder on the future. They decide to explore the surrounding forest.

Act II

The meeting with Odette Lost in the forest, Siegfried and Alexander arrive at the banks of a great lake. A huge circling bird of prey fills them with fear: it is as if the form of Von Rasposen is still spying on them. The bird of prey – in fact the wicked magician Von Rothbart – summons a swan out of the dark lake, which takes on human form. In Odette, the Swan Queen, and her retinue of swan maidens, Siegfried believes he has found the realization of his ideal of sincerity and simplicity. Surrounded by these pure shapes he is overcome with joy. He swears to remain forever true to his ideals.

Act III

The betrayal During a ball at the castle several brides-in-waiting are presented to Siegfried. But to the amazement of the guests, and to his mother’s alarm, Siegfried refuses to make a choice; all the pomp and splendour contrast starkly with the purity of the vision experienced at the lakeside. Von Rasposen announces the last guests: Von Rothbart, his daughter Odile and their retinue. Siegfried imagines that the Black Swan, Odile, is a manifestation of the White Swan Queen, Odette, but still he wavers. Von Rothbart and Odile blind him with a sensual display of dazzling virtuosity. To Alexander’s dismay Siegfried yields and offers Odile the ring. Too late he realizes that he has betrayed his ideal, Odette. Stricken, he flees back to the lake in despair.

Act IV

The reconciliation with Odette Disillusioned and betrayed, Odette and the swan maidens tarry by the moonlit lakeside, where Siegfried finds them. Odette forgives Siegfried and attempts to comfort him, telling him that he must learn to live with reality. Von Rothbart tries to drive Siegfried away from the lake, but although Siegfried manages to defy him, he drowns in the waters. Von Rasposen abandons his futile search for the Prince, while Alexander discovers the lifeless body of his friend. In Alexander, Siegfried’s ideals will live on.

Program and cast

Conductor: Gábor Hontvári, Máté Hámori

Odette /Odile: Tatyjana Melnyik, Maria Yakovleva, Soobin Lee, Maria Beck, Ellina Pohodnih

Siegfried: Dmitry Timofeev, Louis Scrivener, Boris Zhurilov, Gergő Ármin Balázsi

Rothbart: Takaaki Okajima, Mikalai Radziush, Vlagyiszlav Melnyik, Iurii Kekalo

Alexander: Alberto Ortega de Pablos, Viachaslau Hnedchyk, Valerio Palumbo, Taran Dumitru

Pas de trois girls: Yuki Wakabayashi, Miyu Takamori, Yuliya Radziush, Diana Kosyreva, Erina Yoshie, Nutsa Chekurashvili, Lili Felméry, Claudia García Carriera

Big Swans: Anastasiia Konstantinova, Stefanida Ovcharenko, Nika Kristina Crnić, Olha Skrypchenko, Lea Földi, Kristina Starostina, Nika Kristina Crnić, Adrienn Horányi

Little Swans: Kateryna Horiaieva, Rita Hangya, Yuliya Radziush, Matilde Noemi Barbaglia, Miyu Takamori, Jingxuan Li, Yuki Wakabayashi, Erina Yoshie, Diana Kosyreva, Elena Sharipova, Lili Felméry, Lilia Kaliko

Brides: Yuiko Adachi, Nika Kristina Crnić, Olha Skrypchenko, Anastasiia Konstantinova, Kristina Starostina, Stefanida Ovcharenko, Théa Solomon, Nutsa Chekurashvili, Olha Skrypchenko, Natsuna Oya, Ashlee Crowe, Lisa Roselli, Ágnes Kelemen, Adema Omarova, Remedios Agustín Castaño, Dóra Szelényi, Adrienn Horányi

Spanish girls: Lea Földi, Ágnes Kelemen, Dóra Szelényi, Yuiko Adachi, Adema Omarova, Remedios Agustín Castaño, Katerina Tarasova, Rachel Quintao, Anna Krupp

Spanish boys: Raffaello Barbieri, Vlagyiszlav Melnyik, Kóbor Demeter, Luca Massara, Takaaki Okajima, Léo Lecarpentier

Pas de six solos: Claudia García Carriera, András Rónai, Miyu Takamori, Motomi Kiyota, Elena Sharipova, Vince Topolánszky

Pas de six girls: Nutsa Chekurashvili, Yuliya Radziush, Yuki Wakabayashi, Jingxuan Li, Matilde Noemi Barbaglia, Erina Yoshie

Pas de six boys: Gaetano Cottonaro, Valerio Palumbo, Yago Guerra, Mattheus Bäckström, Alberto Ortega de Pablos, Carlos Taravillo Mahillo

Neapolitan girls: Rita Hangya, Ashlee Crowe, Natsuna Oya, Jessica Carulla Leon, Kateryna Horiaieva, Diana Kosyreva, Jingxuan Li, Lilia Kaliko, Stefanida Ovcharenko

Neapolitan boys: Motomi Kiyota, Yago Guerra, Riku Yamamoto, Francesco Sardella, Kristóf Morvai, Vince Topolánszky, Dmitry Zhukov, András Szegő, Dávid Molnár

Hungarian solos: Jessica Carulla Leon, Maxim Kovtun, Katerina Tarasova, Timofiy Bykovets, Anastasiia Konstantinova, Miklós Dávid Kerényi

Featuring the students of the Hungarian National Ballet Institute

Choreography after Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov: Rudi van Dantzig

Choreography of folk dances: Toer van Schayk

Composer: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Set designer: Toer van Schayk

Costume designer: Toer van Schayk

Assistant set and costume designer: Ruud Lutgens

Lighting designer: Jan Hofstra

Répétiteur: Eleonora Demichelis, Toer van Schayk, Caroline Iura

Company répétiteur: Mária Aradi, Cristina Balaban, Tamás Solymosi, György Szirb, Marianna Venekei

Répétiteurs of the Hungarian National Ballet Institute: Dénes Kovács, Dace Radina