In a recent visit to China, Russian President Putin was hosted with a state banquet in Beijing. During the banquet, a military band performed Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake,” specifically the “Dance of the Little Swans.” This choice of music has stirred controversy as “Swan Lake” is associated with the downfall of the Soviet Union in the eyes of Russians. It was traditionally played during the deaths of former Soviet leaders, leading to speculation that Xi Jinping playing this song for Putin symbolizes a mournful tone. Some scholars view this as an ill omen.
On the evening of May 20th, Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping held a welcoming banquet for Putin at the Golden Hall of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The Russian news agency TASS reported that the Chinese military band played classic Chinese and Russian repertoire, including Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” and the “Dance of the Little Swans.” This report was widely covered by several foreign media outlets.
Interestingly, “Swan Lake” is known as the “funeral march of the former Soviet Union.” During the “August Coup” in 1991, the Soviet state television broadcasted the ballet “Swan Lake” continuously for three days as a “replacement program” indicating the country’s entry into a state of emergency. Since then, “Swan Lake” has become a symbolic political metaphor of the Soviet Union’s disintegration.
Moreover, during the deaths of former Soviet leaders such as Brezhnev in 1982, Andropov in 1984, and Chernenko in 1985, the official practice was to temporarily switch to broadcasting “Swan Lake” on national television before announcing the obituaries to soften public opinion. When the public saw this program, they implicitly understood that significant changes were happening at the highest levels of the government.
The decision of Beijing authorities to play this piece during Putin’s visit has sparked discussions on social media platforms overseas.
@ElvaMusclecat: “Wasn’t this a major blunder at the Putin-Xi meeting? It may seem normal to those unfamiliar with Soviet history, but in Russia, Ukraine, and all post-Soviet countries, everyone knows what this piece of music signifies. Many bloggers believe Xi did this to rattle Putin, but I don’t think so. Could it simply be that the event organizer was unaware of the backstory?”
Commentator “New Heights” stated: Xi Jinping plays a funeral song for his “difficult brother” Putin. Against the backdrop of current Sino-Russian strategic cooperation, the playing of this melody makes the term “difficult brother” ironic: two countries facing Western pressure, yet with different fates.
In a self-produced media program released on May 22nd, historian Zhang Tianliang questioned the sudden playing of “Swan Lake” during Putin’s visit to China. Could this be an ominous sign?
He analyzed that while it is a renowned piece of music, it sometimes carries a symbolic mournful meaning, triggering a conditioned reflex among the Russian people. Whenever “Swan Lake” is broadcast on television, Russians know that something significant is happening, either a coup or a problem with the top leadership. It has become a classic political meme and part of the collective memory in Russian culture. Therefore, when Putin heard “Swan Lake” while dining in the Great Hall of the People, it was definitely an uncomfortable experience for him. Although it may have been an oversight by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for Putin, it was likely not a pleasant feeling.
Zhang Tianliang added that the situation for the Russian military on the Russo-Ukrainian front is currently very critical. Putin firmly believed that if war broke out, Ukraine would quickly collapse, and the West would fracture. If he could secure Ukraine, along with his past actions in Georgia and Crimea, it would almost equate to rebuilding the glory of the former Soviet Union. Reality has, however, harshly refuted his beliefs. Hence, hearing Xi Jinping perform “Swan Lake” for him was indeed not a good omen.