Rothbart

Rothbart is a fictional antagonist best known as the sorcerer in the ballet Swan Lake. In the standard version, Rothbart is a malevolent wizard who curses the heroine Odette, transforming her into a swan during the day and trapping her in a magical realm near a lakeside castle. He also schemes to present Odile, the Black Swan, to mislead Prince Siegfried and obstruct the lovers. The character serves as the primary villain whose magical machinations drive the plot, and he is typically depicted as a cloaked or masked figure with a dark musical motif that accompanies his appearances. In many productions, Odile is described as Rothbart’s daughter, or at least as his instrument, reinforcing his control over the deception.

The name Rothbart itself is of Germanic origin and is commonly interpreted as meaning “red beard” (from rot/rot− for red and bart/beard). In performance and fiction, the name has become closely associated with the archetype of a malevolent magician or usurper. Over the years, Rothbart’s portrayal has varied by era and company, ranging from a regal, sinister nobleman to a more expansive, ominous sorcerer figure. Beyond Swan Lake, Rothbart appears as a surname in real and fictional contexts, but the ballet’s character remains the most prominent reference point for the name.