American Ballet Theater

An American Ballet Theatre Workshop production, filmed in rehearsal onstage at Phoenix Theatre, New York City, Spring, 1957.

Of all the great classics performed by ABT today, Swan Lake remains the quintessential ballet. Cursed to spend eternity as a swan, Odette, once a beautiful princess, is only able to return to her human form in the hours of darkness. To break the spell, Odette’s true love must swear eternal fidelity and marry her. When she meets Prince Siegfried and falls in love, Odette has the chance to change her fate. However, von Rothbart, the evil sorcerer who cursed Odette, plots to ruin Odette and Siegfried’s romance with deceit and betrayal.