Twitter
Facebook
Reddit
Digg
Tell us what you think!Send a letter to the editor about this or any other article in The Maine Campus.
Peter Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake,” as performed by the masterful Moscow Festival Ballet Tuesday night in the Collins Center for the Arts, was a captivating story told through movement. All of the dancers flowed gracefully across the stage, weaving a simplistic yet beautiful love story.
Presented in four acts, the ballet tells the tale of Prince Siegfried as he is coming of age and in the process of choosing a bride.
The prince has no interest in the festivities at his castle and instead wanders off to the lake where he comes upon a group of enchanted swans who take human form before his eyes. He soon falls in love with Odette, the beautiful swan queen, and vows to help her break the spell cast over the swans by the evil sorcerer Rothbart.
In the third act, Prince Siegfried returns to the castle but is tricked into falling in love with Rothbart’s daughter Odylle, who looks remarkably similar to Odette. After realizing his mistake, the prince returns to the lake to save Odette.
The set was traditional for “Swan Lake” — a mystical lakeside scene with trees on each side. The lighting, featuring stark differences between day and night, was what brought the set to life. The stage easily transformed from the positive energy of the castle, with bright lights and joyous partygoers, to the dim blue lights, which set a melancholy mood by the lake for the enchanted swans.
The principal dancers were exceptional, each with their own specific strengths. Prince Siegfried was full of youthful energy as he leaped and turned across the stage. When he danced, he took up the whole stage.
The dancer playing both Odette and Odylle was amazingly graceful. Her swanlike movements were flawless and her skills at various forms of pirouettes were unrivaled — she often garnered uproarious applause.
The comical dancers, both the jester and the tutor, added a delightful breath of fresh air within the dramatic plot. The jester’s fine-tuned legs propelled him in nearly endless circles.
The corps de ballet, the ensembles of dancers on the side of the stage, became an integral part of the set. Although some were sitting on the side of the stage for a large portion of the show, their faces were animated and their feet always well-pointed.
The highlight of the show was the well-known combination of the four swans, who danced hand-in-hand with their bodies and heads in perfect unison.
The entire ensemble of swans were all characterized by sad looks upon their faces, but failed to show variety in their swanlike movements from one another — never going above and beyond the choreography.
Tchaikovsky’s familiar tunes came alive through the CCA’s sound system. The composer, best known for his ballets such as “The Nutcracker” and “The Sleeping Beauty,” created music perfect for the ballet’s intricate themes. Although it would have been nice to have a live orchestra, the score was still moving.
While this performance did not stray far from the other productions, “Swan Lake” never fails to leave a lasting impression. The show was filled with dancers of absolute perfection and beauty, leaving the audience with the impression that they were immortal. However, as one of the swans got caught in the curtain during bows, it reminded the audience even the dancers are human and have flaws just like you and me.
