The Swan Lake, perhaps the most famous ballet in the world today, continues to maintain all its charm due to the lunar atmosphere that accompanies the appearance of Odette, the dual role of Odette-Odile, the white swan and the black swan, and the eternal struggle between Good and Evil.
The plot, decidedly romantic, tells the story of Princess Odette who, by a wicked spell from the evil sorcerer Rothbart, to whom the princess has denied her love, is forced to spend her days in the guise of a white swan. The curse can only be broken by a vow of love. Prince Siegfried encounters Odette at night, falls in love with her, and promises to save her.
At a party in Siegfried's castle, the sorcerer presents his daughter who has taken on the appearance of Odette to the prince, who, believing he is in the presence of his beloved, swears her eternal love. At that moment, the sorcerer reveals the true identity of the girl, and Odette, destined for death, disappears into the waters of the lake. Siegfried, desperate, decides to follow her: it is this very act that breaks the spell, allowing the two young lovers to live happily ever after.
Reviving the emotion of this classic with its muffled atmospheres is the Ballet of Siena, under the artistic direction of Marco Batti and the historical choreography of Marius Petipa.
