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The Royal Ballet: New Swan Lake Production, Summer 2018


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4 hours ago, bridiem said:

There's no indication (as you say) that he sees her spirit, or that he will ever find consolation. So for me it's a bleak ending on which we have to impose a more positive spin (if we wish to do so).

 

I’d welcome the ending to be less rushed and one or two nuances to be made explicit.  But we have seen that wonderful Act 4 pdd which I think makes clear that Odette recognises what she has to do and where she says her farewells to Siegfried.  Whilst Siegfried doesn’t make any acknowledgement of Odette’s spirit, the audience can see and I don’t think it’s too much of a leap to say that the audience can choose to see ‘for Siegfried’.

 

4 hours ago, bridiem said:

 

But (as you know!) I don't find the ending 'fully in tune with the music' or even 'life affirming' because although Von Rothbart is defeated the triumph is only partial, not complete.

 

I’m not sure having Odette and Siegfried united in death amounts to a ‘complete triumph’.

 

56 minutes ago, bridiem said:

But why then does the swan appear above him? Is she effectively just saying goodbye, as you suggest? Or is her spirit still living even if her body is dead? (Or can we choose either option?!).

 

I think Odette has said her farewells in the pdd and we now see her spirit - her sacrifice has ensured that good triumphs over evil.  And I think it’s for audience members to read whatever they see fitting into the spirit or Richard LH’s ephemera.

 

As regards more positive endings, I thought for a time in the Soviet Union there was almost a requirement for Odette and Siegfried to defeat Von Rothbart and ‘live happily ever after’.

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20 minutes ago, bridiem said:

 

Jeepers!! Swan Lake as the triumph of evil over good. Hmm. But certainly dramatic, though so bleak that I also found it a bit inadvertently comic at times, I'm afraid. (Though I don't suppose I would have in real life.)

 

 

Yes, well waving cloth to represent water doesn't do very well in close up!  Drowning can't be the easiest thing to stage.  I remember seeing Sylvie Guillem get caught up in the material waves at a performance once, and her headdress was nearly pulled off.  If I remember correctly, she and her Siegfried had to do a duck and shuffle to untangle themselves, while trying to look elegant.  I'm afraid my partner had to prevent himself from laughing out loud.  Rather ruined the ending.  

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, Fonty said:

 

Ah yes.  I had to hunt on Youtube for the one I was thinking of.  I didn't realise the clip I was thinking of was one with Fonteyn and Nureyev!  Now this is a depressing ending....

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDbMK91BJ_E

 

I'm not sure if this is what was intended but if does look rather like Odette comes on, see Siegfried drowning, then just walks off & leaves him! She could have at least attempted a rescue!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Having watched the broadcast, I'd like to add in some points about the ending.

 

I may be biased because I personally just adore the orchestration for Un Poco di Chopin, but I think the lack of it for this production is part of what makes the ending feel a little unsatisfying. While I personally agree with Liam Scarlett's idea that the music calls for a tragic ending, I also think that the Driggo orchestration for that particular piece gives more context to the sad ending and I really enjoyed it on the Dowell production. The black and white swans and their sad, slow steps, it all felt exactly like a sad ending. And while Scarlett choreographed a gorgeous, moving PDD, it feels more like a reconciliation can lead to a happy ending and it's disappointing that it doesn't.

 

Having said that, I'm on the camp that loves a tragic ending for Swan Lake. 

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