GRGR3: Discussion Opener for Section 3

[Alan Westrope]

On Fri, 18 Oct 1996 12:29:18 +0100 (BST),
andrew at cee.hw.ac.uk (Andrew Dinn) wrote:

>9)  Jessica `Swanlake' (30.39) Swan lake? Where the hell does this come
>    from? Is it just a joke?

This one's a gimme: a too-obvious reference to the ballet Swan Lake [1876]
by Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky, famed Russian composer who tried unsuccessfully
to cure his homosexuality by marrying a nymphomaniac and eventually
committed suicide.  Tunes from his _Pathetique_ are recalled by Wimpe
(702.15) as he and Tchitcherine shoot up.

I've never understood the Swanlake reference, though, and it always struck
me as uncharacteristically heavy-handed in comparison to the names of the
other characters.  Any ballet _aficionados_ -- or performing arts librarians
:-) -- care to explicate?

-- 
Alan Westrope     PGP public key:  http://www.crl.com/~awestrop
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