1877, Moscow
Choreography: Acts I and III by Petipa, II and IV by Ivanov
Music; Tchaikovsky
It is Prince Siegfried's 21st birthday. His mother tells him he must soon be married. He sets off foe the forest.
By a lake deep in the forest, Sigefried sees a swan and takes aim to shoot, but the swan becomes a beautiful girl. She begs Siegfried not to shoot-she is Princess Odette and she and her companions have been turned into swans by Von Rothbart, an evil magician disguised as an owl. Only true love will save her. The Prince promises to love and marry her. Siegfried vows never to break his promise. They and the other swan-maidens dance until Von Rothbart draws them back to the lake and under his spell.
The Queen arranges a ball, and several princesses dance, but the Prince rejects them all. Suddenly a mysterious guest arrives. It is Von Rothbart in disguise with his daughter, Odile. Siegfried thinks she is Odette. As they dance together, Siegfried declares he will love her forever. A vision of Odette appears at the window, Von Rothbart and Odile laugh triumphantly, and Siegfried realizes he has been tricked into breaking his promise to Odette.
Odette and the other swan-maidens are dancing sadly by the lake. Siegfried arrives and begs Odette to forgive him, which she does. But Von Rothbart now has the swan-maidens in his power forever. in desperation, Siegfried and Odette throw themselves in the lake, and at last the spell is broken by the power of their love for one another.
