The Antithetical Swans
Chapter 8
It was a little before six p.m. and I was standing before a famous Russian icon. I didn’t mean Pet in this instance, although she qualified as one in my book. No, it was Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre, a magnificent building dating back to the days of the tsars. Its neoclassical façade and large stage had been rebuilt several times over the years. It boasted as having the largest ballet company in the world with more than 200 dancers. I was impressed, but even more impressed as Pet took my hand and walked us inside.
The interior was spectacular! The ornate, oval shaped theatre with its ground floor auditorium and six levels of box seats surrounding it were decorated in the imperialist style of the tsars with beautiful murals adorning the ceiling and much red and gold coloring throughout. I was about to enjoy a performance of Peter Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, a classic ballet that was always a favorite of the patrons. I was on cloud nine or could have been given that we were sitting in the highest box seats in the theatre: in the nosebleed section. No worries, we still had a great view of the stage.
Other than exchanging pleasantries, we didn’t say much since the first act was opening below us. The orchestra struck up the piece and we remained silent for the entire first half of the performance, awed by the music and dancing. Both were superb in my unsophisticated opinion. I wasn’t an artsy-fartsy person, but enjoyed every minute of the ballet.
The dancers and the accompanying symphony told the story of two swans, one white and the other black. Sort of the duality and dichotomy phenomenon I believed the Russian psyche found intriguing.
The program in English summed up the story and I eagerly read the storyline:
Act 1
Prince Siegfried arrives at his 21st birthday celebration on the palace courtyards to find all of the royal families and townspeople dancing and celebrating, while the young girls are anxiously seeking his attention. During the exquisite celebration, his mother gives him a crossbow and informs him that because he is of age now, his marriage will be quickly arranged.
Hit with the sudden realization of his future responsibilities, he takes his crossbow and runs to the woods with his hunting buddies.
Act 2
Getting ahead of the group, Prince Siegfried finds himself alone in a peaceful spot by an enchanted lake where swans gently float across its surface. While Siegfried watches, he spots the most beautiful swan with a crown on its head. His buddies soon catch up, but he orders them to leave so he can be by himself. As dusk falls, the swan with the crown turns into the most beautiful young woman he has ever seen. Her name is Odette, the Swan Queen. She informs the young prince that an evil sorcerer, Von Rothbart, who so happens to be disguised as Prince Siegfried’s mentor, has turned her and the other girls into swans and that the lake was formed by the tears of their parents' weeping. She tells him that the only way the spell could be broken is if a man, pure in heart, pledges his love to her.
The Prince, about to confess his love for her, is quickly interrupted by the evil sorcerer. He takes Odette from Prince Siegfried’s embrace and commands all of the swan maidens to dance upon the lake and its shore so that the prince cannot chase them. Prince Siegfried is left all alone on the lakeside.
Act 3
The next day at the formal celebration in the Royal Hall, Prince Siegfried is presented with many prospective princesses. Although the princesses are worthy of his attention, he cannot stop thinking about Odette. His mother commands him to choose a bride, but he cannot. For the time being, he satisfies his mother's request by dancing with them. While the prince dances, trumpets announce the arrival of Von Rothbart.
He brings his daughter, Odile, on whom he has cast a spell to appear as Odette. The prince is captivated by her beauty and he dances with the imposter. Unbeknownst to Prince Siegfried, the true Odette is watching him from a window. The prince soon confesses his love to Odile, thinking that she is Odette. To Odette’s horror, she flees into the night. Prince Siegfried sees the real Odette fleeing from the window and realizes his mistake. Upon his discovery, Von Rothbart reveals to the prince the true appearance of his daughter Odile. Prince Siegfried quickly leaves the party and chases after Odette.
Act 4
Odette has fled back to the lake and joined the rest of the girls in sadness. Prince Siegfried finds them gathered at the shore consoling each other. He explains to Odette the trickery of Von Rothbart and she grants him her forgiveness. It isn’t long before when Von Rothbart and Odile appear in their evil, somewhat bird like, forms.
Von Rothbart tells the prince that he must stick to his word and marry his daughter. A fight quickly ensues. Prince Siegfried tells Von Rothbart that he would rather die with Odette than to marry Odile. He then takes Odette’s hand and together they jump into the lake. The spell is broken and the remaining swans turn back into humans.
They quickly drive Von Rothbart and Odile into the water where they, too, drown. The girls watch the spirits of Prince Siegfried and Odette ascend into the heavens above Swan Lake.
At intermission, Pet explained the political significance of the ballet for the Russian people. It was an interesting piece of the country’s history that I’d never heard before.
“During the past eighty years or so, Swan Lake was played continuously on television and radio stations during times of political crisis at the Kremlin. It indicated a power struggle was underway at the very top of the Soviet or later Russian hierarchy likely resulting in a change of leadership.”
“For nearly eleven days in 2015, our President, Vladimir Putin, went missing,” Pet continued. “His meetings were cancelled, he disappeared from the public eye, and the Kremlin refused to explain what was going on. The speculation spun out of control: was his mistress giving birth to a secret child? Had he had a stroke? Was it a coup? All the while, Swan Lake was looped on the media outlets in our country and there was a complete blackout of news. The rumors as to his whereabouts and what was happening were endless.”
“So why choose Swan Lake? I’m not sure. For many of us, the opening strains of Tchaikovsky’s score are as likely to remind us of political upheaval as they are the beauty of classical ballet. When Leonid Brezhnev died in 1982, after nearly two decades in power, state-controlled television stations cut into programming not with news of his death or an announcement of who would next lead the country, but with broadcasts of Swan Lake. Many of us believed the broadcasts were a stalling tactic meant to block access to the news while the Soviet leadership settled on a succession plan. The same happened following the deaths of Yuri Andropov and Konstantin Chernenko.”
“Swan Lake was so often the backdrop for Soviet political upheaval that seeing it on television or hearing it on the radio became a tip-off to everyone that all was not well in Moscow. So now you see the political importance and implications of this particular ballet to us Russians.”
I wondered what selection of music we’d choose in America if things were similar. Perhaps Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the USA might work nicely, although I rather listen to Rush Limbaugh’s lambasting instead: perhaps a matter of better dead than red in this case.
“So, when Putin returned, did the Russian people believe he came back as the black or white swan?” I asked. Pet ignored my question and we took our seats again for the last two acts. I guess that was too damn cheeky of me, but I’d loved to have known the answer.
As the story progressed, I got overly engrossed in the plot and rooted for the prince and the white swan. I even mentally clapped, hoping the Tinkerbell Effect would turn the tide of the story in their favor. I also kissed my gold, signet ring for good luck, anything to bring about a happy ending!
As we left the Bolshoi and before we went our separate ways, I thanked Pet for our evening, but failed to mention I’d considered it our first date. She turned and waved to me as she departed. I watched as she walked away and disappeared from sight. I hoped my thoughtless question regarding Putin didn’t offend her nationalistic sensibilities and spoil our budding relationship. It was much too soon for the fat lady to sing her swan song!