Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake (1967) Review

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Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake (1967) ReviewRudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn. No other ballet partnership is as legendary -- the fiery Russian defector and the graceful, aging English ballerina formed a bond on and off the stage that for several years practically defined romantic ballet. Thus, for this very reason, hardcore balletomanes should get this dvd. Many of us (including me) were too young to have seen Nureyev and Fonteyn live, so these videos are the only example to dissect the legendary partnership. However, caveat emptor: this is NOT a "typical" Swan Lake by any means. You can argue that there is no "typical" Swan Lake -- the original production in 1877 was a failure. Some of the music went missing. After Tchaikovksy's death, the choreographers Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov restaged Swan Lake, and that version more or less is the Swan Lake audiences know today. There's lots of music, so most versions of Swan Lake
use the "traditional" pieces.
Nevertheless, there are some different traditions of Swan Lake. In the Russian productions, the outcome is usually "happy" -- Rothbart is killed, and Siegfried and Odette are alive. In the productions used "everywhere else," Odette and Siegfried leap into the lake, and are reunited in the otherworld. I prefer the second ending personally, because I think it better matches both the story (the happy ending was enforced by the Tsar, and seems tacked on), and the music as well.
Rudolf Nureyev's 1966 film, however, is unlike any other Swan Lake I've ever seen. First of all, from the opening closeup (of Siegfried in blue eyeshadow and red lipstick) you realize this film is not going to follow Balanchine (and classical ballet's) creed of "ballet is woman." The first act is redesigned to incorporate a lot of solos and dance opportunities for Siegfried (Nureyev). The first act usually ends with Siegfried picking up his bow and arrow and going hunting with Benno. In this film, there is a long elegiac solo for Siegfried (using music that's usually used in act 2). Since this solo has since become rather common in Swan Lake productions, it doesn't bother me that much. Actually, in this version of Swan Lake, there is no Benno, so one of the things missing from this Swan Lake is the first act Pas de Trois.
More bothersome is Act 2. Nureyev dares to tinker with the famous Act II choreography by Lev Ivanov. In the famous Odette/Siegfried Adagio, the melody is repeated with the cello, but this repeat is rather abruptly interrupted by a solo for Siegfried. Most of the famous "Love Duet" is there but I don't like the sudden switch to a solo for Siegfried. I prefer the "traditional" ending to the pas de deux.
And one also notices that Fonteyn, as graceful and lovely as she is, is at times unable to cope with the famously demanding Odette/Odile role. For instance, Odette's solo in Act II usually ends with a series of turns and then Odette stands on pointe and holds a balance before going into the wings. Fonteyn doesn't attempt the feat, but ends the series of turns in first position -- flat on her feet. Another example is Odette's entrance -- it usually is accompanied by a large grande jete. Fonteyn's jump is much smaller. Her balances are somewhat shaky. She is in general somewhat careful and slow throughout the ballet. Fonteyn also refused to have any closeups, a choice which might have hidden her wrinkles but has a distancing effect on the viewer. Fonteyn's Odette/Odile was legendary, but I don't think this video caught Fonteyn in her finest hour.
Act III's music choreography is pretty standard, but the musical arrangements (and choreography) for the Black Swan Pas de deux are different. Nureyev uses music that Tchaikovsky later composed for the Black Swan pdd, and ballet lovers will recognize it immediately as the music to Balanchine's crowdpleasing "Tchaikovsky pas de deux." Bourmeister's version of Swan Lake also uses this music. Fonteyn actually churns out the fouettes very well, confirming something I've long suspected: that everyone looks at the fouettes, but Odette/Odile's real challenges are the balances, footwork, and leaps, and this is where you can see Fonteyn suffer.
Strangely, Act IV (the act that is usually cut to shreds) is the most intact. And it's the best-danced act: it;s the reconciliation scene between Odette and Siegfried that one can catch glimmers of the genuine bond that existed between these dancers. Elsewhere, the technical limitations of Fonteyn by this time and Nureyev's reworking of Swan Lake as a solo showpiece for Siegfried distracted me from simply enjoying their partnership. I particularly loved when Siegfried runs all over the stage, turning up the head of each swan, to find his Odette, and when he finally finds Margot's head, it's a truly beautiful moment. The ending of Nureyev's version is also unorthodox, and not the "usual" endings of the Swan Boat to heaven. It is, however, in many ways very similar to the Bourmeister ending. One wonders if Nureyev got the inspiration for his ending from the Bourmeister version (which can be seen in a new video with Svetlana Zakharova and Roberto Bolle).
On a technical level, there are problems. The ballet was filmed on a soundstage, and seems way too small to fit a whole cpmpany corps. As a result, the dancers often look haplessly cramped and as if they'll bump into each other. The close bunching also detracted from the natural geometric shapes that are so much a
part of classical ballet. The Vienna State Ballet also looks woefully underreheased. Either that or they're just bad. Their legs are terribly uneven in arabesques, their arms are a mess, and they simply look like a corps that hasnt danced Swan Lake enough. The sets are also deliberately artificial and the costuming, espeically for Nureyev and in the "color" acts, is garish. The lighting is inadequate, especially in the "White Swan" acts. Rothbart (Redbeard here) is a non-dancing role, unlike in most productions when he's a smooth pimp-type in Act III.
For a traditional Swan Lake with a more modern Odette/Odile, I'd suggest the Makarova/Dowell dvd with the Royal Ballet. Makarova was 41 at the time of filming, but her long extensions, boneless arms, exquisite balances, and still impressive technique make her Odette/Odile treasurable. This Swan Lake is of great historical value, and Fonteyn is undeniably lovely, but overall I admit I wanted a more traditional Swan Lake, and I certainly wouldnt recommend this dvd as anyone's first Swan Lake. Its just too unorthodox.Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake (1967) Overview

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