There, on the moonlit lake, gliding and diving, sending ripples out and causing the stars in the velvety reflection to tremble, the white swan dances. Commonly known as Odette in Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, she is the victim of a curse. Odette becomes the plaything of a warlock, Rothbart, and is doomed to become a swan each day and only turn back into a human at night. Who knows how Odette found herself in this predicament? Who knows if the spell will ever be broken? Despite her dismal circumstances, the character of Odette moves with a grace and ethereal athleticism that challenges seasoned ballet dancers and captures the attention of audiences.
The public who attends the American Ballet Theater’s production of Swan Lake may have the privilege of watching Gillian Murphy perform this role. Gillian’s Odette moves with a melancholic and gentle nature, embodying a forlorn swan who desires to be free from an enchantment that steals her life. Gillian’s lithe limbs move in sync with the orchestra, and she paints a picture of the innocence and purity which is the White Swan. She is delicate, yet surprisingly strong in her movements, and does not falter in the story she is telling.
Another wonderful storyteller for the role of Odette, Svetlana Zakharova is principal with the Bolshoi Ballet. Svetlana is incredibly precise with her steps, regal and sophisticated. Her flexible body allows her to stretch into the wings of the swan, bending and twisting into aestheticism. Svetlana’s Odette is melancholic as well, but she appears to rise above it and close off her sadness so the world does not see it. Even though Rothbart’s spell is causing her pain and the loss of a full human life, Odette remains stoic and refuses to give in to the threatening gloom. Her swan song continues playing, flying to the audiences in a different part of Russia…
Uliana Lopatkina, a ballerina for the Mariinsky Ballet, performed the coveted role of Odette as well. Uliana’s method of conveying Odette’s story to the thousands watching is lyrical and simplistic. Not to be mistaken with easy movements, the control Uliana practices defies the challenge of the steps of Odette’s character. She makes it seem as if anyone could dance this role. But, in reality, any non-trained dancer would falter and possess the grace of a duck rather than a swan. Uliana is serene as Odette, carrying grace and poise as she flaps her wings across the stage.
One ballet dancer who glides and conveys the spirit of Odette is former soloist with the New York City Ballet, Kathryn Morgan. Now a soloist with the Miami City Ballet, Kathryn flew across the stage at a young age, several years ago, with the maturity of a grown woman. The delicacy she practices with her arms and upper body accentuate the pure beauty of Odette. The emotion of the role consumes Kathryn as you see her internal struggle between falling in love with Prince Siegfried and her cursed nature. Kathryn’s storytelling and Tchaikovsky’s notes blend in a captivating scene, enthralling dancers and non-dancers alike.
To the untrained eye, the role of Odette could not be too difficult; the ballet dancer floats onstage, without seeming to tire or faint. In actuality, the precision, musicality, tenderness, and angelic quality one must possess is astounding. The woman carrying this heavy role is on her feet for hours, constantly transforming her ordinary arms into gorgeous wings through the movement of her back, shoulders, and arms. The ballerina is no longer human – she is a swan. Those who watch wait with bated breath to see her fly to freedom, caught up in the mystery of beauty and ethereal athleticism.