Prom 42: Monday 15th August at 7.30 p.m.(Swan Lake)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Valery Gergiev brings the Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre to the Proms with music from their homeland. Two years ago their performance of Tchaikovsky's ballet-score The Sleeping Beauty was a highlight of the season. This year they bring another of Tchaikovsky's great dance works, Swan Lake.

Swan Lake tells the story of Prince Siegfried and his love for the Swan Queen, Odette. She and her swan retinue are human beings under the spell of an evil sorcerer - swans by day, human beings by night. The story of how the terrible spell is eventually broken and Siegfried and Odette united for ever is one of the most romantic and passionate tales told in the world of ballet. Tchaikovsky's score is both vivid and subtle, especially when, as this evening, it is heard complete, rather than in the more often heard suite.

Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake

Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre
Valery Gergiev (conductor).

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I notice from the BBC website that Act I is in the first half of the concert, and Acts II & III fill the second half. So is that magnificent and dramatic final act to be omitted? I suspect that the reality will be Acts I & II before the interval, and Acts III & IV afterwards.

[Mahlerei]

Coincidentally I recently watched teh Blu-ray of Gergiev's Mariinsky Swan Lake. Dancing lacklustre, IMO, but the music was pretty good. Should be a good 'un.

[salymap]

My first ballet which I saw at a Cinema in Woolwich. But it had some of the top dancers of the Royal Ballet as they visited outposts in the suburbs in those days. I never tire of a really good performance of Tchaikovsky's 'big three'. Looking forward to hearing this prom.

[Ferretfancy]

It was actually the LSO playing Sleeping Beauty at the Proms on 20th August 2008, and apparently Gergiev flew in at the last moment. It was magnificent. I just hope those fluttering fingers are invisible from where I'll be standing next week!

[amateur51]

My first ballet which I saw at a Cinema in Woolwich. But it had some of the top dancers of the Royal Ballet as they visited outposts in the suburbs in those days. I never tire of a really good performance of Tchaikovsky's 'big three'. Looking forward to hearing this prom.

Did you ever see Matthew Bourne's production of Swan Lake, salymap?

An all-male cast of swans, Charles & Diana, the works

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8BqS...eature=related (music & movement slightly out of synch

[Petrushka]

I shall be in the hall for this one and am greatly looking forward to it. Swan Lake is easily my favourite ballet score and this combination of conductor and orchestra should make this Prom a winner.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I can remember when Alicia Markova was on Desert Island Discs in 1960. I had gone home from school for lunch and was just leaving to go back when the "swan theme" came across the air waves . I didn't want to leave before the music had finished, but my mother insisted, as she didn't want me to be late back.

[salymap]

Did you ever see Matthew Bourne's production of Swan Lake, salymap?

An all-male cast of swans, Charles & Diana, the works

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8BqS...eature=related (music & movement slightly out of synch

Yes Am but I won't let it ruin the real thing for me.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Gergiev does like to press his Tchaikovsky ballet music hard. I believe he is the only conductor who has squeezed the Nutcracker ballet on to a single CD.

[NickWraight]

One wonders if we will be hearing the usual ending this evening or the Happy Ever After version which is one performing tradition in Russia. I have not been to the recent peformances at the ROH given by the Mariinsky forces recently which may give a clue.

[amateur51]

Yes Am but I won't let it ruin the real thing for me.

Hang on, chaps while I go and search for my face on the other side of the room

[Lee McLernon]

I'm pretty sure the music is the same for the happy ending!

I'm hoping we're getting the full score in the "as writ" order: i.e. Black Swan pas de deux in Act 1 (after the pas de trois) and the oft omitted Russian Dance and almost always omitted act 3 pas de deux (used for Balanchine's Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux) included.

Will the encore be the Sleeping Beauty panorama, dya think?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

One wonders if we will be hearing the usual ending this evening or the Happy Ever After version which is one performing tradition in Russia. I have not been to the recent peformances at the ROH given by the Mariinsky forces recently which may give a clue.

I don't think there'll be much dancing going on this evening.
The problem with so many productions is the way producers feel the need to seek personal attention, the all-male "let's make a point" version being a case in point.

[Ferretfancy]

Ein Alpensinfonie,

I am sorry, but Matthew Bourne's all male Swan Lake was not devised by him to make a point or seek personal attention, he had already achieved that with his talent. It may not have been to everybody's taste, but it was witty and skilful, and the male swans came across as rather sinister figures, which underlined the drama rather well. I have seen it twice, and in its later revival it has suffered a little from unnecessary changes. The main charge held against it is that there's not enough pure dance and too much mime.
There's a good DVD if you would like to revise your opinion.