The story of Swan Lake is a romantic, tragic fairy tale about Prince Siegfried and Odette, a princess cursed to live as a swan by day, whose love is tested and ultimately destroyed by the sorcerer Rothbart and his daughter Odile, the Black Swan. Different productions change the ending, but most center on themes of love , betrayal, and sacrifice.

Basic plot in a nutshell

  • Prince Siegfried must soon choose a bride, but feels trapped by duty and longs for real love.
  • He goes hunting, follows a flock of swans to a lake, and watches them transform into young women as night falls.
  • Their queen, Odette, explains that an evil sorcerer, Rothbart, cursed them: they are swans by day and human only at night, and only a vow of faithful love can break the spell.
  • Siegfried and Odette fall in love, and he swears to be faithful and save her.

The big twist: Odile, the Black Swan

  • At a palace ball where Siegfried must choose a bride, Rothbart arrives with his daughter Odile, magically made to resemble Odette.
  • Odile seduces Siegfried with a brilliant, showy dance (this is the famous Black Swan pas de deux), and he publicly declares love for her, breaking his vow to Odette.
  • Rothbart reveals the deception; Siegfried realizes he has betrayed Odette and rushes back to the lake in despair.

The ending (different versions)

There are several commonly used endings, and which you see depends on the company:

  • Tragic / sacrificial ending: Odette chooses death—often by throwing herself into the lake—rather than remain under Rothbart’s spell, and Siegfried joins her; their deaths break the curse and their spirits are united in an apotheosis.
  • Bittersweet ending: Siegfried’s repentance frees Odette’s soul, but she remains a swan while still escaping Rothbart’s control.
  • More “heroic” ending: In some versions, Siegfried defeats Rothbart directly, breaking the spell and allowing Odette to live as a human.

All of these keep the core idea: love is powerful but fragile, and a single moment of betrayal has irreversible consequences.

Mini sections: key themes

  • Love vs. deception: Odette (White Swan) represents innocence and sincerity, while Odile (Black Swan) embodies seduction and manipulation.
  • Fate and choice: Siegfried’s one wrong choice at the ball drives the entire tragedy and cannot simply be undone.
  • Duality: Many productions have the same ballerina dance both Odette and Odile to highlight the dual nature of purity and darkness in one role.

“Swan Lake” today

  • It is one of the most famous classical ballets and a standard in major companies’ repertoires around the world.
  • Modern productions sometimes tweak the setting, psychology, or ending, but they almost always keep the lake, the cursed swan maidens, Odette/Odile, and the doomed romance at the center.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.