Ballet Swan Lake (Anna Pavlova Ballet Theatre)

ACT ONE

Scene One

Park. A castle in the distance. Prince Siegfried celebrates his coming of age with his friends. The guests raise their glasses in honor of Siegfried, dance, and have fun. The jester entertains those present with funny dances. The prince is warned that his mother, the sovereign princess, has appeared in the park. The fun is interrupted: it is necessary to hide the traces of the recent feast. The jester's awkwardness, however, gives everyone away: he has scattered the glasses. The princess is unhappy with her son's behavior. But then girls run up to her with a bouquet of roses. This softens the princess. After she leaves, the fun resumes.

It is getting dark. The guests leave the park. Left alone, Siegfried sees a flock of white swans high in the sky. The passion of a hunter awakens in him. Taking a crossbow, the prince goes deeper into the forest.

Scene two

A lake in the forest thicket. Proud white swans are swimming to the shore. These are enchanted beautiful girls who only take human form at night. They are in the power of the evil wizard Rothbard. Only one thing can destroy the evil spell - the power of selfless love.

Siegfried comes out to the shore of the lake. He sees a white bird and pulls the bowstring. Another moment, and the arrow will pierce the swan. Suddenly the bird turns into a beautiful girl. This is the queen of swans Odette.

The prince is enchanted by Odette's beauty. He tries to hold her. But Odette is afraid of the evil Rothbard, who is guarding her. She trembles and slips away, getting lost in the round dance of girls. Siegfried swears eternal love to her.

The power of Siegfried's love touches Odette's heart. She sees him as a savior from the power of the evil wizard.

Dawn is approaching. The girls must turn into swans again. Odette tenderly bids farewell to Siegfried. White swans slowly float away across the lake.

ACT TWO

Scene Three

A ball in the castle of the princess, Siegfried's mother. Among the noble girls, he must choose a bride. But none of them attracts the prince's attention. All his thoughts, all his feelings are only with Odette. Only obeying his mother's insistence, Siegfried shows kindness to the girls invited to the ball and dances with them.

However, he should focus his attention on someone and give his chosen one a bouquet of flowers...

Suddenly, the sounds of fanfares are heard. New guests have arrived. The magician Rothbart appears at the ball. With him is his daughter Odile. The prince is amazed by her amazing resemblance to Odette.

Rothbart wants the prince to be carried away by Odile, to forget Odette and thus break the oath of love he gave her. Then Odette will remain in the power of the insidious sorcerer. For this purpose, he gave his daughter a resemblance to Odette and brought her to the castle.

Odile beckons the prince, seduces him, Siegfried is carried away by her charms. He announces to his mother that his choice has fallen on the beautiful Odile. He confesses his love to her. The evil sorcerer triumphs. At this moment, Siegfried sees a white swan outside the castle window. The shocked prince understands that he was deceived into breaking his oath. In despair, he runs away to the lake, to his beloved.

ACT THREE

Scene Four

Night. On the shore of the lake stand sadly dejected girls. They know about the misfortune that has befallen Odette. Siegfried, distraught with grief, comes running. He begs Odette to forgive him, assuring her of the strength and constancy of his feelings. But the enraged sorcerer Rothbart appears. He calls the black swans and orders them to separate Odette and Siegfried.

Siegfried enters into a fight with the sorcerer. He fights for his love, for Odette's happiness. In a brave fight, he breaks Rothbart's wing, and the sorcerer loses his strength: his power is over, he dies.

Love has conquered the evil spell. The rising sun illuminates Siegfried and Odette, whom he has saved.