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- simplified story of the infamous ballet “Swan Lake”
- a prince falls in love with a woman who is under a spell
- exquisite illustrations
- convo: magic, evil sorcerer
Type: picture book
Ages: 5-9
Author: Lisbeth Zwerger
Translator: Marianne Martens
Admittedly, I’m not extremely familiar with the ins and outs of the original ballet storyline, but this book was so well done! It makes me want to see a performance of the original.
In the endnotes, the author explains how Tchaikovsky’s ballet was altered after his death. It is now known to have a tragic ending, but he had written it with love conquering evil. This is the take Zwerger took, which makes it better for children, too.
Read this alongside a biography of Tchaikovsky (such as this one) and listening to his music, which is widely available.
