Swans at the Shore

Score (Solo Violin)

The "Lake of Sorrows" is an adaptation of "Swan Lake". Tchaikovsky cobbled together a number of then-existing German and Russian folktales to create a story for the ballet. Although the initial performance did not go over well, it subsequently became an iconic piece performed by most ballet companies around the world. At one level it is a cautionary tale about love, even the most powerful cannot live without it and are subject to its vagaries and disappointments. The young also find love disappointing for many reasons. Can the beloved ever live up to the idealization of the lover? How easy is it, in youthful confusion and eagerness, to unknowingly mistake one love for another. And how often can even the best intentions end in disaster? But the source of evil in the story, Rothbart, is left unexplored. How did he get his power, what did he give up and what is the final price?