Swan on the screen

After taking us into the world of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker last month and the romantic atmosphere of yet another Tchaikovsky masterpiece, Iolanta, plus a thrilling rollercoaster ride with Bela Bartoki’s Blue Beard, K Cineplex in all major cities will be screening a live performance of another Tchaikovsky classic, Swan Lake, performed by the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow.

The popular ballet in four acts was first put to choreography at the Bolshoi in 1877 but didn’t receive a positive reaction, as the ending was apparently too dark. When a new version was staged in Saint Petersburg in 1895, however, with the tragedy replaced by a happy wedding, it seemed to do the trick and receive an amazing ovation. Now, of course, modern audiences know the original dark version, which has also received a lot of hype and Oscar success in Hollywood.

The story, which is based on a German fairy tale, goes like this: Prince Siegfried goes hunting and falls in love with princess Odette who is under a magic spell to be a swan by day and a young woman at night.

The spell can only be broken by a man who will make a promise to love her for all time, and the prince is the one who makes that promise. But this is not the end, he is tricked by the evil sorcerer Rothbart into seducing his daughter Deile, the black swan, who looks exactly like Odette.

As a result, the princess is condemned to remain a swan and the prince slowly dies of remorse.
Next Saturday the ballet will return to the stage on which it was first performed, as part of the celebrations for the composer’s 175th birthday.

Swan Lake
Screening of the recorded performance. February 28. K Cineplex Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca and Paphos. 7pm. €10/8. Tel: 24-819022

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