Famed ballet, tragic fairy tale to grace the Benedum Stage
"Swan Lake" will appear at the Benedum Center beginning this weekend by the dancers at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre.
“Swan Lake” will appear with the orchestra Feb. 16-25 at the Benedum Center.
Rich Sofranko
“Swan Lake” will appear at the Benedum Center beginning this weekend by the dancers at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre.
"Swan Lake" will appear at the Benedum Center beginning this weekend by the dancers at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre.
It might not be quite the love story normally celebrated around Valentine’s Day, but the tragic side of love with a bit of magic will appear on stage in Pittsburgh this weekend with the graceful dancers of the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre.
“It’s one of those fantastical fairy tales. Ballet has quite a few of them,” said dancer Alexandra Kochis, referring to the upcoming performances of “Swan Lake.”
“It’s a tragedy — some who’s human, but not quite so, falling in love with a human. There’s the aspect of fated-to-be but not-able-to-be at the same time,” she added.
Featuring the “Swan Lake” follows the tortured Siegfried as he falls in love with the beautiful swan queen Odette after a nearly ill-fated hunt by the lake.
“He discovers that she’s under a spell by an evil sorcerer; that she’ll forever be doomed to be trapped in bird form by day time — only human at night — until they find true love,” Kochis explained.
The second act finds Siegfried surrounded by princesses trying to win his affections when the sorcerer appears with who appears to be Odette, but with a different demeanor.
“That’s why this role is so challenging,” said Kochis, who will assume the role of Odette and her darker, ulterior persona Odile on stage. “The two characters are so completely different.
“Odette is vulnerable and soft and fluid,” Kochis added. “Odile, though, is very sharp, spunky and beguiling.”
When Siegfried knowingly swears his love to Odile at the end of the third act, explosions ensue as she learns she’ll be trapped in bird form forever.
“She can’t bear the thought of living another day without her true love,” Kochis said. “So they’re reunited in the afterlife.”
“If we do our jobs right, disbelief is suspended, and you’ll actually believe it,” she said, speaking of the magic and tragedy surrounding the aged tale of “Swan Lake.”
Kochis, who has been with the PBT for 12 seasons, said the role of Odette/Odile requires “an incredible amount of physical stamina.”
It’s one thing to appear nimble and graceful on stage as a ballet dancer — it’s another to accomplish those ballet techniques while learning to be bird like, she said.
“It takes a lot of alone time in the studio, to analyze each step and the shape of the arm and how to resemble a wing,” she said.
“Shockingly, to make arms look fluid, it takes a lot of muscle,” Kochis said with a laugh, adding that in addition to rehearsals, she prepares for the role with cross training, swimming and weight training.
Kochis said she also refers to videos of previous performers portraying Odette/Odile, including herself, as this is the third time she’s assumed the role.
“This time might be different that three years ago,” she said. “It’s digesting all of the information and reassembling that into the one you’ll portray for that point in time.”
The accompanying score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky will be played live by the PBT orchestra.
“The music is incredible gorgeous. It’s the pinnacle of how this ballet can be put on,” Kochis said.
“If you want to be swept away, transported, and forget about the craziness of life, this is the place to come,” she said. “For two and a half hours, you’ll be in another realm.”
The ballet opens at the Benedum Center Feb. 16 at 8 p.m., followed by 8 p.m. performances Feb. 17, Feb. 23 and Feb. 24. Performances at 2 p.m. will be held on Feb. 17, Feb. 17, Feb. 24 and Feb. 25. Tickets start at $28, and are available at www.pbt.org, 412-456-6666 or at the Box Office at Theater Square in downtown Pittsburgh.
“If you think you’ve seen it before, this will have all new sets, scenery and costumes,” Kochis said, adding that there will be massive, opulent sets and hand-made tutus.
“There’s definitely going to be added excitement,” she added. “When you put it all together, it’ll be a pretty triumphant run, I’d say.”