Swan Lake - The Ballet of Ballets

There are several reasons of why Swan has become the most widespread symbol in the history of ballet – swerving hand movements, expressing sadness, thrill, differing in swiftness. And there is one more reason for that – brilliant music of Piotr Tchaikovsky, which stuns with its overwhelming poetry and without which the image of swan dancer would be unnoticeable.

But it is totally surprising why this music has not been recognised at first, when the ballet was performed on February 20, 1877 in Bolshoi (Odette/Odile performed by P. Karpakova, Siegfried by A. Gelzer). The performance did not entertain much success due to inadequate interpretation of Tchaikovsky's brilliant score by the stage choreographer W. Reisinger. Despite the audience's critique a new era in ballet history started exactly on this date of February the ballet has established its place in arts alongside with opera and symphonic music.
After several mediocre performances the ballet was dismissed from the repertoire and was remounted only on January 15, 1895 by the production of Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov at the stage of Petersburg's Mariinsky Theatre. Ivanov's brilliant "White Swans" scenes were unveiled before the premiere on the evening dedicated to Tchaikovsky's memory. First and third acts belonged to Petipa, second and fourth – to Ivanov. The leading parts were performed by P. Lenian and P. Gerdt. This production served the basis of all the remounting to follow. This is where the Ivanov's White Swan variations and Petipa's well-known black Pas De Deux originate from. Dance of the first performer of the Odette-Odilie role, Italian dancer Perina Leniani was acknowledged as the high class virtue – she was the first to perform the famous 32 fouette for the first time, which continues to thrill the audience today. Nowadays almost every musical theatre has Swan Lake in its repertoire.
The Russian Imperial Theatres staged this ballet in different productions. Of them most outstanding are the ones by Fyodor Lopukhov, Aleksandr Gorsky, Agrippina Vaganova, Asaf Messerer and Konstantin Sergeyev.
The Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Musical Theatre even today stages the Swan Lake by Vladimir Bour-meister's production. On December 25, 1969 the premiere performance of Yuri Grigorovich's with set by Simon Virsaladze's was held at the stage of the Bolshoi Theatre (Odette/Odile  Natalya Bessmertnova, Prince Siegfried, Nikolai Fadeyechev).
There is no Ballet Company which does not have the Swan Lake in its repertoire. Since the 70ieth of the XX century along with the classical productions of Swan Lake there were non-traditional, non-classical versions of the ballet, among them the ones by John Neumeier (1976), Mats Ek (1987), Roland Petit (1995), Matthew Bourne (1995) and Jan Fabre (2002).
In Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre the first performance of Swan Lake's second act took place in 1907 on the benefit concert in the name of O. Preobrajenskaia by Petersburg Imperial Theatre Ballet Company. Odette/Odile was performed by O. Preobrajenskaia herself, Siegfried P. Kozlov.
 In 1912 P. Lopukhov's Ballet Company performed the third and the forth act of the ballet with L. Egorova and S. Andrianov. M. Mordkin staged Swan Lake since 1922 which was finalized by his student M. Moiseev in 1923. In 1928 the ballet was produced by the Italian choreographer
R. Balanoti.
From 1945to 1954 V. Chabukiani's production of Swan Lake was on stage of the Theatre involving Georgian Ballet Company dancers. Odette was performed by I. Aleksidze, Odile E. Demetrash, Siegfried  V. Chabukiani. In the years to follow Odette/Odile were performed by outstanding dancers like E. Bauer, V. Tsignadze, E. Gvaramadze, E. Gelovani, L. Nadareishvili, I. Jandieri, N. Arobelidze; Siegfried  Z. Kikaleishvili, T. Sanadze, R. Magalashvili, B. Monavardisashvili, V. Abuladze.
In 1975 Konstantin Sergeev remounted Swan Lake at Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre. Odette/Odile were performed by N. Papinashvili, A. Abesadze, M. Aleksidze, E. Bezirgan, L. Kandelaki: Siegfried V. Julukhadze, O. Beridze, I. Bakhtadze, V. Akhmeteli.
In 2005 Aleksei Fadeyechev staged the new version of the "Swan Lake" at the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet State Theatre. Premiere was held on 11 March 2005.The leading roles were presented by Lali Kandelaki (Odette/ Odile) Irakli Bakhtadze (Siegfried).

Alexei Fadeyechev
Choreographer

Born in Moscow, Alexei Fadeyechev was a principal dancer of the Bolshoi Ballet in 1978-1998.
Fadeyechev started to work in the Bolsho Theatre being coached by his father, the legendary artist and regular partner of great Galina Ulanova and Maya Plisetskaya, Nikolai Fadeyechev. Alexei has mounted and performed over 40 leading parts from the Russian classical ballet repertoire.
Alexei Fadeyechev has been very successful at the Royal Ballet of Covent Garden, where he had performed the title and leading roles in K. MacMillan's, Ahton's, and Wright's masterpieces. He had also performed with the Mariinsky Ballet (formerly Kirov), the Royal Danish Ballet, the Royal Swedish Ballet, National Ballet of the Netherlands, National Ballet of Finland, National Ballet of Portugal, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Boston Ballet, Tokyo Ballet and others.
In 1998-2000 A. Fadeyechev worked as the Artistic Director of the Bolshoi Theatre Ballet. During this period the Bolshoi stages Balanchine's following ballets for the first time: Symphony in C, Agon, Mozartiana, as well as the Pharaoh's Daughter in Piere Lacotte's choreography. Fadeyechev also remounts the Don Quixote in a new edition.
In 1995 A. Fadeyechev was awarded the title of People's Artist of Russia.
In 2004 Fadeechev staged the ballets Don Quixote at the Rostov State Musical Theatre, and Swan Lake and Don Quixote at the Z. Paliashvili Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet in Tbilisi.

Synopsis

AÑT ONE

Scene One

The Ballet Company is rehearsing for the premiere of the Swan Lake.
The corpse de ballet is rehearsing the valse, the actor dancing Siegfried is preparing his variations. The artistic director is giving the last instructions to the dancers. He is especially dissatisfied with the principal male dancer. The newly made costumes are brought in from the workshops of the theatre. The leading dancers engaged in pas de trios are quickly changing into them and start to perform for the rest of the company.

After the Polonese is completed the artistic director allows the dancers to leave except the principal made, whom he asks to repeat the Prince's solo from the first act and leaves the studio still dissatisfied with his performance.

The upset principal tries once again at his variations, then tiered sits down on the studio floor succumbs to his dreams.

Scene Two

Lured by his magic dream the principal imagines himself as Prince Siegfried and finds himself on the banks of a mysterious lake. In the shimmering patches of moonlight on the water, visions of bewitched swan maidens rise up before him. Siegfried catches sight of Odette, the most beautiful of the maidens: he is deeply struck by her beauty. Odette tells him that the swans, including herself, are spell-bound by Rothbart - the Evil Genius and the true love is their only savior. The Prince swears to Odette that he will love her forever and be faithful to her since at last, he has found his romantic ideal of love. Odette warns him that if the vow is broken nothing can help her.
Siegfried repeats her vows of faithfulness and love to her.

ACT  TWO

Scene Three

The guests are arriving at the Princess Mother's castle for the ball. The Prince must choose among the noble maidens on to become his wife. Siegfried appears: he can think of nothing but Odette and his meeting with her. He dances in an offhand way with the well-born maidens  not one of them can compare to his ideal.

Suddenly, a mysterious knight (another embodiment of the Evil Genius) arrives at the ball accompanied by a ravishingly beautiful young girl and a suite of black swans. It is Odile, Odette's double. Struck by their resemblance, Siegfried hurries towards Odile. Siegfried is enchanted by the perfidious Odile. The Evil Genius accomplishes his goal - Prince announces Odile to be his chosen bride. At this very moment, the throne room is plunged in darkness and a vision of the beautiful Odette appears before the assembled company.

Siegfried realizes that he has become a plaything in the hands of Fate. Hoping to atone for his betrayal, he rushes in despair after the receding image of the white swan.

Scene Four

Night- time. A deep gloom overhangs the lake. Odette brings the tragic news: the Prince has broken his vow of faithfulness to her. With his conscience is deeply troubled Siegfried hurries towards Odette begging for forgiveness, but the swans get in his way. Weakened by his combat with Fate, Siegfried collapses...
…The principal is waking up in the studio. He is trying to revive the fading image of Odette from his dreams, but is left vain with his memories.

The End

History of Creation

The opera Radamisto is one of the successful operas of George Frideric Handel, which was staged several times yet in the composer’s lifetime. The Italian libretto by Nicola Francesco Haym is written as an adaptation of Domenico Lalli’s oeuvre L’amor tirannico, o Zenobia. The latter, in its turn, is based upon the piece written by Georges de Scudéri, L’amour de tyran (Paris, 1639).
The opera was first performed in London on 27th April 1720. Radamisto is Handel’s first opera written for the Royal Academy of Music. Before that, Handel had staged four operas in London and Radamisto turned out to be the central attraction of the first three-month season of the brand new Royal Academy of Music. In 1719 the governor of the academy had issued a warrant together with instructions, which empowered Handel to travel in order to engage the voices he needed for the opera performance. Handel succeeded to gain Margherita Durastante’s consent to portray Radamisto in his new opera for £500. Also in Dresden he spoke to the castratos Senesino and Berselli, the soprano Salvai, and the bass Boschi, all of whom came to London for the Royal Academy’s second season, for which Handel revised his successful Radamisto.
Unprecedented was the fact that the libretto of Radamisto had the dedication addressed to the King by the composer himself and made in the English language. The dedication was signed by Handel in the following words: “Your Majesty’s Most Devoted, Most Obedient, and Most Faithful Subject and Servant.” Though, in those times Handel had not yet been the King’s subject as he became a naturalized British subject only in 1727.
It is remarkable that until the end of the first season, nine performances of Radamisto were held. Libretto annotations imply that staging has been a lavish affair. There were ten female and perhaps sixteen male supernumeraries, who served as soldiers or companions. In addition, dancers performed the four-part balli placed at the end of each act.
Handel’s new opera has become a great success. Some of the spectators even thought that Radamisto was best among the operas ever staged in London. Handel himself believed that aria Cara sposa (from Rinaldo) and aria Ombra cara (from Radamisto) were among the best of his opera arias.
There still were present different judgments, too: Dr. Stukeley, a Handel’s contemporary and the celebrated antiquary and music lover, records in his diary an amusing episode in connection with the first scenic version of this opera: “Sir Isaac Newton... said he never was at more than one opera. The first act he heard with pleasure, the second stretched his patience, at the third he ran away.”
The first season of the Royal academy was over on 25th June 1720; after the successful premiere it was logical that Handel would process the opera in view of possibilities of new, stronger performers. And so did it happen. On 28th December 1720 the opera was staged again in the Royal Theatre, with a novel version and with new soloists taking part. The composer remodeled parts of the characters, altering the voices, creating new arias and ensembles, and also made certain changes into the plot as it was required by the Director of the Royal Academy; namely, Tiridate’s war commander and trusted person, Fraarte now appeared as Tiridate’s brother and Zenobia’s secret lover, in order to satisfy the ambitions of the castrato Benedetto Baldassari, who was to play this role. Such changes, connected with a certain conjuncture, didn’t make the composer delighted at all, and as soon as he had the relevant moment, he attempted to return to his initial intention again. It is remarkable that Fraarte’s part was reduced in subsequent editions of the opera and in the revivals of 1721 and 1728 this character was even eliminated. For most of Handel’s operas it can be demonstrated that the first version is the best: so often in revivals he was forced by the constraints of casting into changes which upset the balance and dramatic coherence of the work; but it may be argued that Radamisto is an exception to this general rule, and this opera was largely improved in the process of editions.
The opera was performed again on 31st December 1720, on 4th, 21st, 25th January, 21st and 25th March. A part of the music, which was contained in the score of this version, got presumably lost, as in 1728 version certain musical intervals were simply missing. Handel staged the last version of Radamisto in the beginning of 1728 and the composer made lots of changes into it.    
In 2007 by joint efforts of Tbilisi Opera Theatre and National Museum of Georgia there was staged Handel’s Radamisto (adapted for soloists and cymbal). This representation served as a crowning event of the educational project held at the National Museum (author of the project _ Guram Meliva). Instead of decorations, there were presented the samples of the treasury of Iberia taken out from funds of the museum specifically for the event.
For the libretto of this opera of Handel, there were used the story told by Tacitus, the ancient Roman Historian, concerning Radamisto, a Georgian prince of the blood, who lived almost 2000 years ago, in the 1st century AD. Yet, Tacitus’ s story is fundamentally remodeled in the libretto of the opera, there is changed its plot and the intrigue of action: the stories of fight for the throne are substituted by love stories.

Synopsis

Tigrane reveals to Polissena Tiridate’s decision to take the town in assault, to capture Radamisto’s wife, beautiful Zenobia, and to abandon Polissena. Tigrane offers Polissena his love and loyalty. Polissena pleads Tiridate to spare his captive, her aged father. Tiridate remains firm. 
The captive king of Iberia, Farasmane implores his son-in-law to spare Radamisto and his spouse; and Tiridate demands to yield the town without any resistance. Spouses Radamisto and Zenobia are encamped in the besieged town. They feel that the end is near, and swear the oath of eternal loyalty to each other.
Radamisto and Zenobia see Farasmane beyond the walls of the town. The captive king urges his son rather to die than to surrender, giving him the message to fight and save the country. Zenobia is aware that Tiridate is trying to get her in his power. She is determined to die so that the principal cause of war would cease to exist. Farasmane again calls upon his son to fight. 
Noble Tigrane decides to spare Farasmane and save him from Tiridate’s wrath.  The town is destroyed and burnt... Tiridate celebrates the victory. When he becomes aware that Radamisto and Zenobia had disappeared, he orders to find them, to kill Radamisto and to bring him Zenobia alive.
Polissena reproves her husband for shedding their kinsmen’s blood. Tiridate humiliates his wife and goes out. Polissena is happy as her brother was saved by Tigrane. Tigrane hides his candid feelings for Polissena. Polissena is desperate. She cannot come to terms with her spouse’s betrayal. She regards love as the most life-giving source.
Radamisto and Zenobia feel that their pursuers are close. Zenobia cannot keep ahorse any more. She bids farewell to her husband and leaves herself at the mercy of river streams. Radamisto vows to fight for the revenge and to join unblemishedly his beloved spouse in the country of shadows. 
Tigrane takes Radamisto prisoner, but tells him in secret that he will take Radamisto to his sister. Tiridate proposes his queen’s position to Zenobia. Zenobia rejects him firmly. Zenobia curses Tiridate and laments over her helpless situation.
Tigrane informs Polissena that he has saved Radamisto. Polissena and Radamisto meet each other. Radamisto bears in mind the decision to kill Tiridate. Polissena is against it. She loves her husband more than her life. Radamisto is afraid that his sister might reveal his secret. Polissena seeks the way out, how to rescue her father and brother and the tempted spouse.
Tiridate tries again to make Zenobia agree to his will. Zenobia declines to accept it. Tigrane brings in masked Radamisto. The tyrant presents him as a slave, eye-witness of Radamisto’s death. The “slave” tells Zenobia the story of Radamisto’s last minutes.
Zenobia recognizes her husband. She declares to the “slave” that she will remain loyal to her vow given to Radamisto. Tigrane is ready to take the decision necessary to set a boundary to Tiridate’s malice.
Tiridate attempts again to win Zenobia’s love. The unmasked “slave” - Radamisto storms in and tries to get hold of Tiridate’s sabre. Polissena throws herself between her brother and her husband. Tiridate’s guard seize Radamisto. Polissena pleads Tigrane to do something in favour of her kinsmen.
The dungeon... Zenobia and Radamisto make their adieus with the hope to join each other in the realm of shadows. Tigrane enters into the dungeon.
Tigrane releases captive Farasmane and tells him that the time of rebellion has come. Rejoiced Farasmane gathers his forces.

Tiridate for the last time proposes Zenobia to be his wife. Zenobia refuses again. Tiridate issues an order to behead Radamisto. Armed Radamisto and Farasmane burst into the hall. Radamisto, Zenobia and Polissena make Tiridate understand that this is the end of his tirany and urge him to abandon his willful and evil thoughts. Tiridate obeys the resolution to move away from the town and never charge it again. Everyone is happy - death and wars have been overcome. Future seems to be favourable for them.