Swan Lake - Productions

The Swan Lake most familiar to people of our day is derived from the fourth production of the ballet, created in 1895.

Tchaikovsky's ballets, The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker, were huge successes in Russia. The artistic staff of the Maryinsky Ballet and the management of the Imperial Theaters sought another ballet from Tchaikovsky. Ivan Vsevolozhsky, director of the Imperial Theaters negotiated with the composer to bring back at least part of his 1877 ballet Swan. They decided to revive Act II but were only able to produce a few costume designs before Tchaikovsky's death in 1893.

Marius Petipa, Balletmaster of the Maryinsky Theater of St. Petersburg, and the Director were able to obtain a copy of the musical score and started working on rechoreographing the ballet. Riccardo Drigo, Music Director of Maryinsky, began editing and reorchestrating the score. A Memorial Concert was staged upon Tchaikovsky's death. During this concert at the Maryinsky, Act II was performed with Pierina Legnani in the lead role of Odette.

Legnani astonished the audience with her artistic and technical abilities. Because of her high balletic prowess, she was named prima ballerina abbsoluta, a position that was given to only one other person in the Imperial Theaters. The management wanted to show off this amazing dancer, and Legnani enjoyed the position of star.

The set design team for the ballet consisted of Colonel Andreyev, Mikhail Bocharov, and Heinrich LeVogt. Costume design was assigned to Evgenii Ponomarev, designer for the Maryinsky. The results of their work were deemed a success.

Who created the choreogaphy is still under controversy. Typically, it's believed that Petipa choreographed Acts I and III, and his assistant, Lev Ivanov, did Acts II and IV, based on Petipa's notes. It is under debate whether Ivanov really had the choreographic talent to create Act II. Currently, it is also believed that Ivanov choreographed the Hungarian Dance, or Csardas, and the Neapolitan Dance in Act III. Still others believe that Petipa choreographed all four acts himself.

The full ballet was first performed in 1895. Swan Lake was a success - it was met with high approval. Local newspapers and magazines were rife with praise. It was even included in the coronation festival of Nicholas II, because of its high acclaim.

Legnani was noted for her excellent control in the adages, and was highly praised in the media. This production had the double role of Odette and Odile as it was in the original production. The part emphasized legato in Acts II and IV, and allegro in Act III. Petipa included Legnani's signature thirty-two fouetees in the choreography, knowing that this was very popular with audiences. Prince Siegfried was danced by Pavel Gerdt who was about fifty at the time. Some believe that this is why the pas de deux were choreographed for three - to allow him to rest. This is in debate however since Siegfried performs all the lifts, the most strenuous part. The third member would just do the promenades. In any case, Gerdt was understudied by twenty-six year old Nikolai Legat.

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