GREAT PERFORMANCES: LIVE FROM LINCOLN CENTER: AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE: SWAN LAKE (TV)
Summary
One in this series on the performing arts. In this program -- one in a series of live broadcasts from the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City -- the American Ballet Theatre performs "Swan Lake." Host Dick Cavett introduces the performance, then Act I begins. In the first act, Prince Siegfried joins the peasants of the district for a party which is abruptly interrupted by the Prince's mother who tells him that he is too old for partying and it is time for him to pick a wife, something he must do at his upcoming birthday ball. At intermission, Cavett interviews New York Times dance critic Clive Barnes covering the following topics: how many performances of "Swan Lake" he has seen; the importance and greatness "Swan Lake"; swans and birds in ballets; the survival of "Swan Lake" as it approaches its 100th birthday; Tchaikovsky's puzzling score; and the ballet's legendary thirty-two fouettes (whipping turns).
In Act II, Siegfried, while out hunting, spots a magnificent swan which -- before he can shoot it -- turns into a beautiful girl. The girl, Odette, tells him that an evil sorcerer Von Rothbart cast a spell on her, condemning her and her companions to being swans during the day, only able to return to being women full-time if a virgin male pledges eternal fidelity to her. Siegfried accepts the challenge. At intermission, Cavett interviews former dancer Eric Bruhn who touches on the following topics: his recent injury; partnerships between male and female dancers; arguments between dance partners; the "cardboard prince problem"; why there are only five basic ballet positions; and Bruhn nearly achieving notoriety by consistently dropping ballerinas.
Act Three begins after the second intermission, continuing the story of Prince Siegfried and Odette. There is no on-screen scrawl summarizing the plot. At the intermission, Dick Cavett sits down with Natalia Makarova and the Director of the ABT Lucia Chase discussing the following topics: how Makarova performs two nights in a row; awareness of the television audience while dancing; the terrifying nature of "Swan Lake"; the talk amongst dancers while onstage; the difference between watching from the audience and sidestage; the wear and tear put on ballet slippers during a single performance; and where the majority of money for the funding of the ballet company comes from. After the third intermission, Act Four begins, concluding the story of Siegfriend and Odette.
Cataloging of this program was made possible by The Edward John Noble Foundation.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: June 30, 1976 Sunday 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 2:57:00
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:76123
- GENRE: Dance
- SUBJECT HEADING: Ballet
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1973-
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- John Goberman … Producer
- Kirk Browning … Director
- Christopher Porterfield … Writer
- Piotr Ilyitch Tchaikovsky … Composer
- Akira Endo … Conductor
- Marius Petipa … Choreographer
- Lev Ivanov … Choreographer
- American Ballet Theatre Orchestra … Symphony Orchestra
- American Ballet Theatre … Dance Company
- Dick Cavett … Host
- Clive Barnes … Guest
- Natalia Makarova … Cast, Odette/Odile, Dancer
- Ivan Nagy … Cast, Prince Siegfried, Dancer
- William Carter … Dancer
- Lucia Chase … Dancer
- Enrique Martinez … Dancer
- Terry Orr … Dancer
- Marcos Paredes … Dancer