Swan Lake - Alternate Endings

Compilation/Packaged Set: Swan Lake Compilation

A collection of "classical" Swan Lake ballet films. (For Swan Lake by Matthew Bourne see Bourne collection, New Adventures dance/theatre company.)
One could get the impression that I am less than enthralled by Swan Lake. Wrong! I love this ballet (and most ballets, as long as they don't take themselves too seriously). I love dance and dancers. I love Tchaikovsky's music; and how it can be 'cut-and pasted' so much and still sound great.

While the details of the plot line varies from version to version, the following plot line, from a review of the American Ballet Theater version, does well as a general description:

"The story is adapted from an old Russian folk tale. Princess Odette is captured by the evil sorcerer Rathbart and cursed to be changed into a swan. Young Prince Siegfried is being pressured by his mother to find a bride. Irritated, he runs out into the woods and finds Swan Lake, where Odette has become queen of the swans. He learns, that only by someone swearing eternal love to her, can the spell be broken, and he does so. At a ball, numerous princesses are paraded before the prince, who shows little interest. But when Rathbart, in human form, arrives with his daughter Odile, enchanted to resemble Odette, Siegfried is deceived. Swearing love to Odile, betraying Odette, he may have condemned her to spend the rest of her life as a swan." [digitallyobsessed.com]

It is at the ending/climax that we have the most significant differences in the various versions. In some, we have a happy ending. Siegfried triumphs over Rathbart; Odette is freed; Siegfried and Odette live happily ever-after. In others, there is a sort of a happy ending as Siegfried's love triumphs; he and Odette escape Rathbart's curse by going off together -- but it's in death. And my favorite. Rathbart in anger, creates a vicious and dramatic storm on the lake, drowning both Odette and Siegfried. For me, this is the whole moral of the story. Profound betrayals, whether your fault or not, cannot be reversed. Swan Lake is a tragedy. Tragedies can not be changed.
I don't know whether this is true, but everything doesn't always work out for the best in the end. Beside, the storm and drowning scene is great theater!. It is what I look forward to after two hours of swans on tippy-toes flapping their wings. And greatly disappointed when it's not there, and all ends lovey-dovey.


1. 1. Mariinsky - Happy ending
	After a short fight with Siegfried, Rathbart is defeated and killed. Swans freed. Odette and Siegrfried live happily ever after. Gag me with a spoon!. Rather bland. Version not currently in my collection.
2. 2. Mariinsky (variant) - happy ever after
	While Rathbart creates the flood in an attempt to destroy Siegfried, Siegfried manages to battle his way to safety, kill Rathbart, rescue Odette. and live happily ever after. Version not currently in my collection.
3. 3. 1895 Mariinsky version, Krvin McKensie variant - Odette and Siegfried suicide
	Odette and Siegfried commit suicide by jumping into the lake. Rathbart in agony and grief dies. And the swans wither and also die. Two hours of drama with no redemption. Was it all worthwhile? Version not currently in my collection.
4. 4. Nureyew version, Paris Opera Ballet - Siegfried dies,
	After a battle between Siegfried and Rathbart, Siegfried is killed, Odette carried off by the victorious Rathbart. Version not currently in my collection.
Seen it: Yes @ see movie file 5. 5. Nureyev Version, Vienna State Opera - Rathbart is victorious.
	Rathbart battles Siegfried by creating a horrific flood. Siegfried is drowned in the flood. Rathbart is victorious
Seen it: Yes @ See movie file 6. 6. Matthew Bourne version - Siegfried and the Cob both died
	In the Bourne version, there are no tippy toed swans (but all the men do flap their wings a lot). Neither is there an Odette or Odel; nor a Count von Rathbart. The villians are the swans themselves. After being viciously attacked by the "society" of swans (the bevy), Siegfried and his lover, the handsome Cob, are killed.. This behavior, I am told, is not unusual; the bevy will sometimes gang up and attack a stranger or outcast swan in their midst. Bourne sees both Prince Siegfried and the Cob as strangers and victims because of their male-male love. At the end, they are united in death in a heavenly embrace, while Siegfried's mother weeps over her son's death.
7. 7. "The Old Moscow Lake" version - Siegfried and Rathbart die, Odette provides redemption
	Rathbart and Siegfried both die; redemption by Odele, who also saves the other swans. Why at that moment? Why has it not happened before this time? It makes no sense. Version not currently in my collection.
8. 8. 1895 Mariinsky Version, Makorava version, Royal Winnipeg Ballet - happy ever after, I think
	This clip is so dark and overwhelmed with special effects that I can not tell what is really happening. In the end we clearly see them walking off into the sun (or moon, or something in the sky) embracing. Are they rising into heaven after death, or into their future life living as free lovers? Version not currently in my collection.
9. 9a. Schandorff-Hübbe Version, Royal Danish Ballet - Siegfried joins society of sorcerers.
	Very different ending. Siegfried is fundamentally defeated by Rathbart but does not die. Rather, he joins the society of evil sorcerers, and marries Rathbart's daughter Odel. Wow! Talk about an attack on tradition! Version not currently in my collection.
Seen it: Yes @ 41.54 10. 9b. Mariinsky Version, Bolshoi Ballet, Grigorovich Variant - Odette protects Siegfried. Happy ending
	Odette protects Siegfried. Rathbart slithers off. They live happily ever after.
11. 10. Mariinsky Version, Ashton-Bintley Viariant, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden - Odette and Siegfried commit suicide
	Odette and Siegfried commit suicide. Swan bevy dance the life out of Rathvart. Siegfried and Odette sail off in death into the sunrise. Ugh! Version not currently in my collection.
12. 11. Patrice Bart Version, Deustche Staatsoper, Berlin - Siegfried and Rathbard die.
	While Siegfried defeats Rathbart in an unconvincing dance battle, all is not well. Odette has disappeared (she has an important costume change). Siegfried, now in profound grief. flings himself into the lake. Odette then magically rematerializes, transformed back to a princeses., While she rushes to pull Siegfried out of the lake; It's too late. He's dead. Awful ending; dancing unconvincing. Version not currently in my collection.