Swans and sadness in a ballet

Terry Shapiro

Swans and sadness in a ballet

Colorado Ballet’s Maria Mosina and Igor Vassin perform in “Swan Lake.” Photo by Terry Shapiro.

Posted: Friday, September 23, 2011 10:00 am

Swans and sadness in a ballet By Sonya Ellingboe Colorado Community Media | 0 comments

“Swan Lake” performed by the beautiful dancers of Colorado Ballet is the very essence of classical ballet — lovely, sad, familiar, lyrical and romantic. Those white tutus are the stuff of dreams for many young dancers.

Choreography will be after Marius Petipa and Lev Ivankov, (1895), with the addition of original choreography by Amanda Mc Kerrow and John Gardner, former principal dancers with the American Ballet Company. It was first set on Colorado Ballet in 2008 and attracted sold-out audiences. Working with Colorado Ballet’s Sandra Brown, they added a waltz in the first act and a new fourth act.

The tale of unrequited love and redeemed love tells of Prince Siegfried, who falls in love with the beautiful Odette when he sees her. Alas, she has been cursed by the evil Van Rothbart and turned into a swan most of the time. The sorcerer tries to interest the prince in his daughter Odile (the Black Swan) instead, to no avail.

The recent beautiful, though dark , “Black Swan” movie has increased popular awareness of the ballet and its soaring score, which will be played by a full orchestra.

Tchiakovsky composed the original score in 1875-76, based on Russian folk tales about a girl turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer. It was first performed in 1877 by the Bolshoi, but the most commonly performed version is the Petipa/Ivankov version.

Three rotating casts of principal dancers will perform the leading roles and artistic director Gil Boggs has announced several events to benefit the dance company. Consult: specialevents@coloradoballet.org for information.

Discuss
Print

Posted in Life on Friday, September 23, 2011 10:00 am.

Welcome to the discussion.

Or, use your linked account: