Synopsis

by Jon H. Teeuwissen, Detroit Opera Artistic Advisor for Dance

Swan Lake is the love story of Prince Siegfried, who on a hunting trip encounters a flock of swans, falls in love with the Swan Queen, Odette, and swears his allegiance and undying love to her. As a result of a curse by the evil sorcerer Baron von Rothbart, Odette can only take human form between midnight and daybreak. Only faithful, true love can break the spell.

To prevent his spell from being broken, Rothbart transforms his own daughter, Odile, to look exactly like Odette. Dressed in black, she is presented to Prince Siegfried at his birthday party, and he thinks she is actually his beloved Odette.

Thinking she is his Odette, Prince Siegfried swears his love for Odile, both destroying his future with the Swan Queen and dooming her to death. The prince, distraught, commits suicide by jumping into the lake.