13 April 1984
In early March, I received a letter from Ballet West, thanking me for my efforts on the fundraiser — An Evening of Elegance. (Click here to read the post.) The letter was accompanied by an invitation to attend the performance that was being sponsored by the funds that we had raised in early February.
It was our pleasure to accept the offer of tickets for the opening night of Swan Lake. Our evening included a special, on-stage reception following the performance. If I recall correctly, we concluded our night out with a midnight-breakfast at Denny’s.
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For those interested in the story of the ballet, here’s a synopsis I took from the Ballet West website.
PROLOGUE
The time is years before our story begins and the place is unknown. Young Princess Odette is playing quietly with her handmaidens and friends when a strange creature—half man, half bird of prey— appears at her window. He envelopes her in his wings and transforms her into a swan.
ACT I - The royal grounds in front of the castle
It is Prince Siegfried's 21st birthday. His best friend, Benno von Summerstein, and Wolfgang, the Major Domo of the court, have organized a party. All the courtiers, young and old, have come together to celebrate. The Prince only half-heartedly partakes in the festivities. His mother, the Queen, arrives to wish him happy birthday. She presents him with the signet of her late husband the king and gives him the gift of a crossbow. The Queen reminds Siegfried that eligible princesses from around the world will be attending his birthday ball and that he will be required to choose a bride to ensure his future as monarch. This makes Prince Siegfried uneasy. Siegfried is a romantic who does not want any part of a political marriage nor does he welcome the responsibilities of the throne. As dusk falls, Wolfgang tells the story of an evil sorcerer who lives in the ruins by a lake. Filled with hate because he has never been loved - this evil bird creature abducts young women, transforms them into swans and holds them in his power. Only the true love of a human man can break the spell and free the women. At that moment, a flock of swans flies overhead. Prince Siegfried gathers Benno and some friends and goes off in search of them.
ACT II - The Lake
It is late and the moon is high when Siegfried and his friends arrive at the lake where the swans have alighted. The men take no notice of a strange owl who stares at them malevolently from his perch in the ruins by the lake. The owl is in fact the sorcerer, Baron von Rothbart, who is jealously guarding his domain. Prince Siegfried aims his crossbow at the flock. Suddenly one swan flies forward. He is fascinated and attempts to capture it. As the swan frantically tries to escape his grasp, she undergoes a startling transformation - and before his eyes, turns into the most beautiful woman Siegfried has ever seen. She tells him that her name is princess Odette and because of the spell cast on her years ago she must remain a swan by day only to become human by the light of the moon. She implores Siegfried and his men to spare these swans as they too are enchanted young women and she is their queen. As the men retreat, Odette disappears into the mists and Siegfried goes off in search of her. Confident with the success of his manipulation, the sorcerer swoops down from his perch and bids the swan maidens to dance for him.
Siegfried finds the beautiful Swan Queen, and just as he is about to swear his everlasting love, the very words that will free her, the sorcerer pulls Odette away with his magic. As the dawn rises, Odette reverts to her bird form, forgetting Siegfried and leaving him in the mist.
ACT III - The great hall of the castle
Royalty from around the world gather to celebrate Prince Siegfried's birthday. The Queen is confident that her son will choose a bride, but as each princess is introduced, Siegfried is polite but uninterested. His thoughts are solely on Odette. Two strange guests appear unannounced. They are the mysterious Baron von Rothbart and his beautiful daughter, Odile. Odile looks identical to the Swan Queen, Odette, except that she is dressed in black and her manner is wickedly seductive. Believing that Odile is his beloved Odette, Siegfried takes her by the hand and leads her off. The Queen, equally enchanted by this exotic pair, instructs Wolfgang to commence the entertainment. The Matadors from Spain, the Neapolitan dancers from Italy, and the elegant lords and ladies from Hungary all perform until von Rothbart interrupts the action and introduces his daughter Odile once again. In front of everyone, she captures the heart of Prince Siegfried.
The prince is certain that this woman is his beloved Odette. Despite the disruption of a swan frantically beating its wings against the castle windows, he swears to Odile that he will love her forever. The Queen is delighted until von Rothbart triumphantly reveals himself to be the evil sorcerer. Everything was a ruse designed to get Siegfried to betray Odette. As von Rothbart and Odile depart in a burst of black magic, the prince is horror-stricken by his mistake. Benno tries to reason with his friend but to no avail. Siegfried runs from the castle, not knowing what to do, but knowing that he must set things right.
ACT IV - The Lake
The swans anxiously await the return of their queen, Odette, hopeful that she has saved them through the love of Prince Siegfried. When she arrives, she tells them of Siegfried's betrayal. Now all is lost.
Prince Siegfried rushes out of the mists. He has been running all night. The swans gather around their queen to protect her but she steps forward. Despite it all, she still loves him. Siegfried begs forgiveness and she grants it. In a fury, von Rothbart swoops down to separate the pair. Odette sees that her only escape is to take her own life. She runs off while Siegfried and the sorcerer battle. Taunted by von Rothbart, Siegfried realizes that he too must take his life. It is the only way to prove his true love and save the swan maidens. He runs after Odette, and the swan maidens heroically block von Rothbart. The lovers hurl themselves onto the rocks below, thus breaking the spell. The sorcerer melts into nothingness.
As the sun dawns on a new day, young maidens appear out of the mists freed forever from the sorcerer's evil magic. Odette and Siegfried are united eternally in heaven.
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