Description

It is difficult to believe today that Swan Lake was a failure on its production in 1877 and was not successful until the Petipa/Ivanov version of 1895. Today it is regarded as one of the greatest works in the art of ballet. The magic of Tchaikovsky’s music, embodying the love of Prince Siegfried for the enchanted Swan Queen, has greatly contributed to making this the best loved of all classical ballets. This production, with designs by the late Leslie Hurry, stars Natalia Makarova as Odette-Odile and Anthony Dowell as Prince Siegfried. Prince Siegfried celebrates his twenty-first birthday; his mother tells him it is time to marry, but he prefers to go hunting. Alone, by a lakeside, he sees a swan who turns to human form. She is an enchanted princess who can be saved only by true love. He promises this, but is tricked by the wicked magician who disguises his own daughter as the swan-maiden. In despair, Siegfried and the swan-maiden leap to death together and their sacrifice destroys the evil power. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Excellent! A must for all Swan Lake fans.
The most beautiful performance of this classical title. Natalia Makarova and Anthony Dowell not only performed excellently but also emotionally. Emotion between the two lovers is the fundamental element in such a romantic story but it has almost been forgotten by other dancers, including the famous Fonteyn and Nureyev. Fortunately in this video, besides ice-cold, purely technical performance, the real emotion prevades. I hope Kultur video can make this wonderful performance on the DVD in the near future.

Makarova and Dowell - Swan Lake
This is a beautiful tape of a wonderfully traditional ballet. Natalia Makarova and Anthony Dowell are mature dancers who have spent a lifetime deepening their interpretations of this ballet. Makarova has a tendency to overplay the legato sections of the adagio pas de deux to the point of distorting the music, but she makes up for it with her beautiful plastique. However, the music should not be degraged to accommodate her. This should not be seen as a negative to buying and enjoying this wonderful performance. Basheva

A bird or a princess?
Is Odette a swan or a princess? I suppose that this has been a longstanding question for many balerinas. For my part I am inclined to think that she is first of all a princess! However Miss makarova portayed Odette as a BIRD throughout her career and won considerable acclaim for it. I must admit that no one since has been able to do this more convincingly. The first time I watched this video was 19 years ago. I was 17 years old and was mesmerised by her performance. Since than I have watched this video again along with other productions of the ballet and can not help thinking that this venerable ballerina uses way too many arm movements and that many of them are superfluous and uneccessary. I now think that this is bad taste if anything!
Miss Makarova is a great ballerina but she lacks elegance in her manner. This she covers up with her beautiful lines and delicate form. She is more suited for roles such as Don Quichotte and Romeo and Juliette where more dramatic expressivness is needed rather than regal restraint and otherworldly airiness.
Her portrail of Odile however is unparalled! She is bewitching.
The rest of the production is outdated and the renditions made by Ashton are not worth mentionning.
Inspite my criticism of miss Makarova's performance she is the only reason to buy this dvd IF, that is, you must have it!

Where are the feet?
The performance is lovely. Makarova is simply brilliant. But I was really disappointed with the camera angle. The dancers' feet were cut off most of the time. Instead of feet, I could see the full height of the backdrop. Fortunately, the solo parts were exceptions. (But where is Makarova's toe, when she does her serre's/battement battus in the grand pas de deux?) I wonder if, somehow, it's my television's fault. But my other tapes don't have this problem. Maybe someone else can comment on it, so that others are warned, if this really is... a ballet without feet.

This version is one to own!! Great Performance!!
I nevered viewed Swan Lake until I purchased this DVD. I found the music and the ballet breathless. There were other DVDs of Swan Lake available which I watched as well. No matter what version of Swan Lake I viewed, I always come back to this one. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Superior dancing
Durante is a pleasure to watch and has the requisite skills for Aurora - security on pointe. Her Rose Adagio is superb, and clearly superior to Asylmuratovna. The latter is a lovely dancer, but falters in this most challenging part of the ballet.

The production is not as lovely as ABT's, but this DVD is worth buying just for the dancing.

Ballet at its best
Surviving four acts of classical ballet and Tchaikovski in the days of Pina Bausch takes... a lot. In this case it is easy thank's to the quality of every soul involved in the production. It is difficult to think of a better Aurora for Dowell's version. Durante is magnificent. Solymosi knows he is not a great soloist, and dedicates himself to be a good "partenaire" (smart move!) and a handsome prince (yes, that is called "danseur noble" and seems to be rare today with so many male ballet divas in New York and Paris). Of course the greatest "thing" is Dowell's Carabosse: That's acting-dancin Ms. Pina Bausch! Costumes, lighting, orchestra, the whole company. I cannot think of anything dissapointing except, maybe, the need of a strongest Lilac Fairy. Thank you Royal Ballet!

Excellent dancing, dim production
I agree with other reviewers - the dancing in this production is absolutely superb. However, I did not care for the design at all. Almost everything is executed in silvery-grey shades that look more monotonous than delicate on VHS, and some of the backdrops have a huge scale and weird perspective that are very distracting. That said, and somewhat to my surprise, my 4-year-old is clearly charmed by the video and will watch as much of it as I will allow at one sitting.

A Good Performance but a Travesty on DVD
Only if you have a TV screen of about nine inches will this DVD look sharp. On a normal size TV it is very fuzzy. On a big screen TV it is essentially unwatchable. It's hard to believe this performance is on the market in a DVD format. Most of the good reviews seem to have been from VHS tape watchers, where the picture quality expectations are low. But I have never even seen a commercial VHS tape with picture quality this poor. How can I get my money back?

Great Dancing, Scenery Could be Better
This video was a lot of fun to watch, but it lacked some elements of elegance. There's no doubt that the choreography and dancing was great, but the costumes and scenery could have used a little work. I recomend this video to anyone who love ballet, but if possible, try to look for another version with better scenery. Good luck! ... Read more

Amazon.com

It may be a truism to say that Russians interpret Russian music best,but based on this stunning Kirov Ballet performance taped during its 1989Canadian tour, it's excitingly and exhilaratingly accurate. Tchaikovsky's balletis brought to vividly atmospheric life by the company who may dance him betterthan any other company, even the rival Bolshoi, especially in this production bymaster Kirov choreographer Marius Petipa (revised by his successor, KonstantinSergeyev).

From the principal dancers (Larissa Lezhnina is simply fabulous as PrincessAurora, and her partner, Farukh Ruzimatov, is her equal as Prince Désiré) to thelast member of the ensemble, the grace and mastery of this world-class companyis in evidence from the opening Marche to the closing duet. Simon Virsaladze'stastefully opulent sets and costumes contribute strongly, as does ViktorFedotov's conducting and the Kirov Orchestra's playing of one of ballet's mostattractive scores. --Kevin Filipski ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A beautiful performance ....but
This is Tchaikovsky's ballet performed by the Kirov Ballet on it's Canadian tour in 1989; it contains all the ingredients to make it a spectacular success. It has, for instance, the creme de la creme of the Kirov principal dancers; Larisa Lezhnina, Farukh Ruzimatov and Yulia Makhalina. Then add to this the beautiful backdrop scenery, working fountains, huge chandeliers , sumptuous costumes for all its participants, and you'd have a production of " The Sleeping Beauty" to die for, right....well not quite. Let me explain.

Having watched this DVD performance several times, I have this gut feeling that when choreographer, Marius Petipa, saw the original score for this ballet, his initial though must have been, "my God, what I'm I going to do with these people for over 2+ hours." Despite all the positives I've mentioned above, I honestly feel that not even all this onstage beauty and talent (not to mention an incredible effort by both Lezhnina and Ruzimatov) could justify this slow paced, sometimes repetitive work. Some of the dances (excluding those of the principals) seem have little to do with the overall story: In fact, the Prologue seemed to be dragged out and some of this area of the ballet could have been significantly shortened. I must admit that during some segments, I had difficulty keeping my attention focused on this performance.

All in all, a beautifully staged and exquisitely danced production that is superbly recorded (both audio and video) but it is, simply put, too long.

Lighting....
The lighting in this DVD was terrible and you could hardly see what was going on on the stage because the camera was either too far away or too close. Also the dancers were rarely together perfectly as ballerinas should be.

Breathaking ! A Ballet Enjoyed In Many Levels
Tchaikovsky's second ballet, presented at a prestigious Russian theater in the 1880's, became successful and standard for ballet dancers and is still a ballet enjoyed by many in several levels. It is the age-old Sleeping Beauty fairy tale. Aurora is the princess under the curse of a wicked fairy, doomed to sleep forever until a prince awakens her with a kiss. Bits and pieces of the Tchaikovsky score was used in the 50's Dysney animated film, Sleeping Beauty. This DVD is visually striking and the Russian ensemble who perform the ballet are exceptional. The costumes are gorgeous, true to the French-style that Tchaikovsky was going for when he wrote this (he was said to be modeling the court of King Louis XIV). The principal dancers in the roles of Aurora and Prince Desire, as well as the evil fairy, express themselves fully in their solos. Fancy footwork, pas de deux, lavish corp and the ensuing divertissements in Aurora and the Prince's wedding are fine examples of how great the ballet is visually on DVD and in the hands of the Russians.

Act I begins with the theme associated with the evil fairy, dark, powerful and fatalistic, but is subdued when the hopeful, romantically melodic theme of the Lilac Fairy (Aurora's fairy godmother) erupts into a glorius introduction. The kingdom prepares for Aurora's christening (The March) and congregate in the hall of the castle. The fairies endow the child with special qualities, beauty, grace, song, etc..keep in mind this is not all that different from the Dysney film or the fairy tale. When the Lilac Fairy is about to bestow her gift on the baby, the evil fairy and her minions storm the castle and the evil fairy rages in her fury about not being invited. In revenge, she casts a dark spell on the child. She will prick her finger on a pointy spindle and die. Of course, the Lilac Fairy offers hope and reverses some of the spell. Aurora will sleep and not die, awaken only after the kiss of her true love prince. Also, the entire kingdom will sleep with her. Act 2 features Aurora as a young woman who is awakening to her femininity, celebrating her sixteenth birthday, surrounded by loving and doting parents and many interested princely suitors. The Waltz, the Rose Adagio and Aurora's Death are the highlights. In the final act, the Prince, with the help of the Lilac Fairy, defeats the evil fairy, penetrates the castle and awakens the sleeping beauty with a kiss. Their wedding features many characters from fairy tales, including Cinderella and Puss'N'Boots. The Apotheose ends gloriously, and is without doubt Tchaikovksy's most brilliant work for orchestra.

This ballet is a great introduction for ballet novices, a lesson in good choreography and over all, a glittering rendition of the masterful art. Who says ballet is sentimental nonsense ? It is a passionate, engulfing and living art form that requires stamina, endurance and precision, full of magnetism and full of life. This particular ballet can be enjoyed in many levels. Children will like the fairy tale ambiance, adults will enjoy the developing ballet structure and balletomanes will be in heaven. I am a ballet/ music and opera teacher and encourage any medium to instill a love of the arts. On DVD, ballet is a must see, almost, but never quite, like, seeing a live performance.

The Sleeping Beauty/ Kirov Ballet
The uppers:
This was such a great performance of this ballet. The camera angles helped compliment the dancers and Larissa is adorable as Princess Aurora. The set, costumes, and corps helped to accent the principle dancers. The choreography was well done to the music and the orchestral balance was fine tuned. They also included all the most memorable songs and themes. Many movie verson cut some out due to available tape time, but this one kept to the original main themes.

The downers:

They tried to add some Computer Graphics at one point that was rather annoying, but they did not interfere with the ballet so it is permissible. They DID happen to cut off the corps at some points and the corps got rejected for more intricate choreography, and they repeated their movements quite a bit. Still, it is one of the better corps parts that I have seen.

*I hope that you enjoy this ballet and that this review was helpful to you!

A muscial and visual delight
This DVD is exceptional! I am very pleased. The quality of the digital images is clear and crisp and the audio is wonderful. The Kirov's Sleeping Beauty is staged, choreography and danced beautifully. I highly recommend anyone interested in romantic/classical ballet to purchase this DVD. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This is a musically sensitive and superbly danced interpretation of the best-loved ballet in the Russian repertoire. Swan Lake videos come in various sizes and configurations,among which the Kirov has special claims. The ballet was not well receivedin its premiere production (Bolshoi, 1877); its success dates from the1895 revival in St. Petersburg, in which the Tchaikovsky score was rearrangedand a happy ending substituted for the original conclusion in which the hero andheroine die. This production is based on that revival and justifies the Kirovcompany's proprietary feeling about Swan Lake.

The solo dancing communicates effectively, not only Galina Mezentseva's work inthe dual role of Odette/Odile, but Konstantin Zaklinsky, who is both athletic and graceful (note, for example, "Siegfried's Variation" in Chapter20). But what makes this Swan Lake special is the precision anddiscipline of the Kirov corps. --Joe McLellan ... Read more

Amazon.com

Another great historical performance from the Royal Ballet at CoventGarden in London that's been captured on tape, this 1968 production ofTchaikovsky's perennial holiday classic The Nutcracker stars two ofthe premier dancers of their (or any) time: ballerina Merle Park and theredoubtable Rudolf Nureyev. Both are seen in their considerable prime. Nureyev'schoreography and production are also tastefully done, with theopening March of the Toy Soldiers and the climactic Dance of the Sugar PlumFairies particularly beautifully handled.

Conductor Charles Taylor leads the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House in amerry and vigorous reading of Tchaikovsky's wonderfully appealing score. Asalways with such legendary stagings taped for posterity, the video and audioquality aren't perfect, but they are more than adequate enough to appreciate andbe endlessly entertained by Nureyev's, Park's, and Tchaikovsky's balleticmastery. --Kevin Filipski ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Buy it, but close your eyes when you watch it.
I agree with everything the next viewer(dated May 31, 02)said about this DVD. I like Tchaikovsky's operas. I expected to see something Russian, but I was very disappointed. The stage design and the costume looked awlful. Only the Onegin character makes the DVD worth buying. Fat Tosca is okay, but not a Fat Tatiyana. The VHS version with Yuri Marusin and Sergei Leyferkus is definitely the 1st choice. It should be issued on DVD.

Not bad but all the other versions are better
I bought this DVD because it was so highly rated. It doens't deserve 4 stars! Not even three! The first act is pretty awful. It's so abstract and overdone. It gives you no feeling of a Russian countryside. It looks "POP". Olga is childish instead of youthful, Tatiana is fat (could be a beautiful lady if she loses some weight), Nya-nya is a big healthy maid. But Onegin is a real handsome guy. Maybe that's the only highlight of the whole opera.
Among all the other productions, my first choice is the live performance from Kirov with Yuri Marusin and Sergei Leyferkus. Tatiana (I don't recall the singer's name)is a rare beauty. She looks totally in role. I can't imagine anyone better than her. Only available on VHS, though. Too bad.

Overvalued !
OK, but overvalued according to the other rewievs.

very good
That was an excellent production, German singers did good job on Russian

A truly inspiring production
This is one of the best opera videos I have seen. The filming is crisp, clean, and attentive, the sound good, and the subtitles timely and legible. I was also especially pleased with the audience, which knew when to applaud and how to hold its enthusiasm back while the orchestra was still playing.

The staging was beautiful: minimalistic but hardly intimidating for traditionalists. The singing was very strong throughout. It's a incredible, poignant opera to begin with, and this is one of the best productions of it that I've seen. Read the Pushkin poem/novel if you want background on the plot. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Don't expect battling mice, giant Christmas trees, and waltzingsnowflakes in world-renowned choreographer Maurice Bejart's boldly differenttake on Tchaikovsky's beloved ballet, The Nutcracker. Discarding entirelythe traditional story of Clara and the statuette she rescues and accompanies to a candy kingdom, Bejart uses Tchaikovsky's score to accompany his own life story (which only briefly portrays Christmas). When his mother "departs on a long journey," the 7-year-old Bim (danced by Damaas Thijs) is seduced into the world of dance by a character (Gil Roman) who represents both Faust's Mephistopheles and Marius Petipa, the groundbreaking French choreographer and dancer who brought Tchaikovsky's original ballet to life. While Bim learns dance, he still envisions the ideal of his mother, who is represented by a towering Botticelli Venus-like statue and with whom he finally achieves a bond in a near-nude pas de deux that more than hints of incest.

As in the original, the second-act divertissement is mostly different dance vignettes, here represented as acts in a Marseilles circus.In the greatest divergence from the original score, the middle of the act adds a handful of French café tunes featuring Yvette Horner's accordian, whichcan be heard embellishing a few other dances (and has something of a parallel in Tchaikovsky's innovative use of the celeste). The grand pas de deux, however, is performed very traditionally following Petipa's original choreography. On a screen above the stage, Bejart himself appears in occasional segments explaining certain plot points, and he goes into more detail in the DVD's 22-minute behind-the-scenes feature, which also includes comments from collaborators and members of Bejart's loyal and longstanding company, Théâtre Musical de Paris Châtelet. Ifyour mind is open to a nontraditional production that includes bare-chested boy scouts and a pair perhaps best described as "drag kings," you'll probably be fascinated by this strikingly envisioned, expertly danced performance.--David Horiuchi ... Read more

Description

Evelyn Hart and Peter Schaufuss dance the leading roles in this studio recording of Natalia Makarova's acclaimed production of the much-loved ballet classic. Her innovative interpretation presents the piece as a tale of ideal and eternal love, paring it down to Siegfried and Odette's love for one another. It is lean and fast-paced, with Gunther Schneider-Siemssen's settings employing back projections instead of scenery for changes of locale and mood. All of these elements infuse the entire production with an atmosphere of magic and mystery. ... Read more

Description

The majestic music and fascinating life of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky are evocatively presented in this Academy Award-nominated film by writer/director Igor Talankin and celebrated composer Dimitri Tiomkin. Tchaikovsky demonstrates the inseparability of the composer's music from his life, as each moment of happiness and tragedy is expressed through the magnificent ballets, operas, symphonies and love songs that flow from his pen. These masterpieces become an integral part of the film, given cinematic expression through Talankin's sure-handed direction and the lavish resources afforded him by Mosfilm Studios. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

MUST SEE FOR THE GREAT ACTING
Fans of P.I. Tchaikovsky's music will be touched by Innokenti Smoktunovsky's portrayal of the composer. Smoktunovsky gives us the right combination of introversion, pain (not too much, not overdone), shyness, sensitivity, and personal trauma. Those of us who have enjoyed the actor's performance of HAMLET in Kozintsev's movie will not be disappointed. We truly feel sorry for Tchaikovsky in the end. Nadezhda VON MECK and the conceited (but gold hearted) RUBINSTEIN are also well portrayed. Their presence has a powerful impact on us. In the visuals and great acting lie all the power of this movie.
As a biography, the work unfortunately does not break new ground. Tchaikovsky's painful struggle with homosexuality is not touched upon (only suggested through subtle hints). 1972 Soviet censorship would, of course, have blocked any suggestions that one of their cultural icons suffered with this issue. Also, the movie uses a special sound filter on Tiomkin's arrangements that are meant to portray the inner workings of the composer's mind during the creative process. This filtering, however, sounds cheezy and distracts the viewer more than anything.
A beautiful and evoctive portrait of the times otherwise. The movie does cover most of the "acceptable" annectdotes of the composer's life in a most touching manner (Desiree Artot, the circumstances behind his disastrous marriage, Nadezhda Von Meck, and, of course, the matter of "diverging octaves" in the famous Piano Concerto's 1st mouvement). Thirty years later, the movie has the feel of well crafted and sensible PUBLIC TELEVISION production that will touch and educate us. This is not money wasted.

Another Beautiful Mind
There is good news and bad news. The bad news is that this is a film filled to the brim with film cliches portraying Tchaikers as a genius modern artist, struggling with an ungrateful public for recognition. The good news is... Oooh, they do it so well!!! This film really moved me, the portrayal of Tchaikovsky was so absorbing that it really matters to you as you watch it if things go right or wrong for him. I was carried away, and recommend what I expected to be a slightly dodgy soviet biopic which turned out to be a great film. The Soviets could do 'Amadeus' any day of the week!

'put another nickle in ...........
DOESN'T say too much ......... A sanitized version of "The Music Lovers"? ....... Pretty Postcards ....... ?

WELL, 'yes' it is all of the above! When will we ever get a difinitive version of Tchaikovsky's life? Well, not here, in this pleasant version we travel the all too familiar routes, his obsession with music, the mentor, the wife, the ending, very pretty to look at [all eye-shadow and hairdo's - HIS though, also too present in the Russell version]. There's unfortunately nothing new to learn here. [This version fits well in the lavish 1950 Hollywood bio period - good to have on the rack, but rather forgettable].

ON the positive side, it's a lavish production, a double-disc set with lots of 'bits and pieces' - but again - more of a primer and very safe for the kiddies, and the very young music lover.

FOR ADULTS? Well, perhaps some budding auteur will regard this man's life very closely, and give us really something new to look at, remember and applaud! ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's easy to see why The Nutcracker, Tchaikovsky's perenniallypopular ballet first performed in 1892, has such enduring appeal. As PatriceBart's 1999 production shows, it is always beautiful to look at, lending itselfto the Christmas season where it has a permanent place in the schedules of themajor dance companies. And Hoffmann's tale of the troubled child who must go ona wonderful (and occasionally terrifying) journey of discovery has a universaland timeless appeal.

Bart's production for the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin builds onPetipa's original choreography and develops the context of the child Marie's(Nadja Saidakova) anxiety into a strong narrative. The godfather Drosselmeyer(Oliver Matz) is initially a sinister figure, forcing her to confront pastevents (the familiar mouse-soldier battle music is used instead as a prologue inwhich Marie's mother is abducted by Russian revolutionaries) before leading herinto the glittering land of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Here, all expectations areexceeded. The familiarity of Tchaikovsky's intricately woven themes works intotal harmony with sumptuous production values. The dancing is sublime. As thePrince, Vladimir Malakhov evokes the spirit of a young Nureyev. His pas de deuxwith the Sugar Plum Fairy should challenge even the most cynical tear ducts. Sitback, share the frisson of anticipation as Daniel Barenboim enters theconductor's box, and let the whole experience engulf you.

There are no DVD extras. In addition to the 16:9 picture format, which enhancesthe authentic theatrical atmosphere, the Dolby Digital 5.1 sound helps make thisNutcracker an aural feast. Under Barenboim's masterful control, theorchestra draws you into the heart of the music. Booklet notes providehistorical background as well as performer biographies, but a more complete castlist would have been useful. --Piers Ford, Amazon.co.uk ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Des Totengräbers toter Nussknacker
(The Gravedigger's dead nutcracker)

This Berlin 1999 "Nussknacker" followed the successful 1997 "Schwanesee" (reviewed separately). It was received indifferently by the public, for good reason. Berlin critics were not only content with trashing it viciously, but mounted a focused, politically motivated attack on Patrice Bart and the value of his work. Horst Vollmer called him a potential "Totengräber" (gravedigger), meaning he was killing off the tradition of classical dance in Berlin.

Despite this the ballet starts promisingly enough. Scene one seems to indicate that Bart solved the two main issues Ivanov's choreography poses: use of mime vs. dancing and that of dancing children vs. experienced dancers posing as children. He employs mime side by side with dancing as well as children mixing naturally with experienced dancers. However what follows is a fascinating flop.

Like his Swan Lake, Bart pushes the limits of his miniscule intellect in an ill-conceived pseudo-Freudian face-lift of the libretto. This 'dernier cri de Ballet-Psychanalytique' mutilates the original work. Instead of clarifying or adding to the performance it is presumptuous to the point of ridicule and distraction. Marie is now a "traumatized" child. She was abducted and separated from her mother. She grows up unhappily as the adopted daughter of the Stahlbaum family. Drosselmeyer gives her a nutcracker similar to the one she had before the abduction as part of his therapeutic endeavors to undo the repression that keeps it away from her consciousness. She holds on to it as a transitional object invested with the repressed memories of the trauma. 'Dr. Siegmund Drosselmeyer' uses it to induce hypnotic like acting-out of fragments of the repressed memories. The booklet attached to the DVD explains: "She is not a 'normal' child, playing with toys carefree and happy on Christmas Eve; the trauma will not leave her...the wooden puppet, whose uniform awakens memories of her father, is the catalyst for Marie's renewed confrontation with the gruesome event in the dream - therapeutically speaking it is the first step towards becoming aware, towards healing. Drosselmeyer leads Marie back to her mother in her land of ice and snow, which in the end reveals itself as the land of love: the Nutcracker changes into a Prince."

Dragging this piece to the psychoanalyst's couch creates expectations for an aesthetic language informed by "psychological realism." However, the abducting revolutionaries in the prologue appear like Turks from a Mozart or Rossini comic opera. This sets a lighter fantastical fairy-tale tone. The audience needs to know from the outset which stylistic language a production will use. Usually it will be receptive as long as the language is consistent. What follows here, though, is an unmethodical confusion of styles with an arbitrary choice of costumes and décor by Luisa Spinatelli, which are ugly, uninspired and point in conflicting and incongruent directions.

These difficulties weaken the basic premise of the new libretto, which collapses under the weight of its own implausibility. Patrice Bart and artistic and organizational manager Christiane Theobald wove this banal story around the concept of abreaction as a cure for traumatic neurosis. Freud introduced this idea about a century ago. It reached its peak infiltration into popular culture around half a century ago and has been considered outdated and simplistic for decades. There is by now a significant clinical and scientific body of knowledge, which indicates that it is preferable NOT to make victims talk about past traumas that were overwhelming and consequently became partially repressed. Encouraging patients to relive these experiences is emotionally detrimental for the short term, with absolutely no long term benefits and possible long-term mental damage in some cases. This common-sense concept, that what is forgotten (repressed) is better left forgotten seems to have escaped Bart and his ilk.

The dancing is technically breathtaking. The achievements of the individual dancers are almost beyond belief. The star of the evening is Malakhov as the Prince. He is a first class 'danseur noble.' The Grand Pas de deux, which was left intact, gave me goose bumps. Unfortunately, the choreography pushes the limits of what is humanely possible, occasionally blurring the line between ballet and circus acrobatics (e.g., in the Danse Arabe). Bart pushes the dancers at a hectic pace. Each number is an excuse to extract every possible geometrical-acrobatic combination in space ad absurdum. The result is hollow because the convoluted choreography does not add up to anything emotionally meaningful. Rather it is a showpiece for the dancers. The last straw is Generalmusikdirector Barenboim. He conducts this piece as if he were Karajan conducting Parsifal. He manages to transform the Flower Waltz into a funeral dirge. Under his baton, Tchaikovsky's light and delicate score assumes the grace and charm of a military drill. Barenboim was harmless enough as a conductor until he became a regular at Bayreuth. The ex-wunderkind kills anything he touches by reducing it into a cerebral construct. The act II divertissment should be at least what its name implies: a relaxation of the structure defined by the plot, which hopefully provides a sense of fun. I did not observe this anywhere. Bart and Barenboim deserve each other--their divertissment is as stiff and joyless as their respective egos.

This mésalliance is symptomatic of an artistic void. Classical ballet is about magic. For the magic to work you have to believe in it. In order to believe in it, you need to be able to exercise a certain naïveté. The ambience on this stage on the other hand smacks of cold, highbrow and jaded refinement of the kind that is "above" taking a work at its face value. Among the three Berlin ballet companies, the Staatsoper is the most academic. They provide excellent technical training but that is all. Great tradition loses its soul when you stop believing in it.

Picture quality suffers in much of act I from inadequate lighting designed to express Marie's progression from clinical despair to therapeutic bliss. The stage suddenly lights up in the divertissment. Excellent sound. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A disgraceful release of a legendary performance
First of all, the low rating is entirely for this particular DVD issue, NOT for the performance.

The legendary Maximova-Vasiliev/Bolshoi "Nutcracker" has seen various VHS and now DVD releases over the years. This is undoubtedly one of the worst I ever came across. The editing is simply a disgrace. In the first Act white spots start appearing all over the screen and on a couple of places entire seconds of footage are missing. The sound has never been much to write home about and nothing has been attempted to improve it for this DVD. (Don't believe it is dolby surround, as the cover pretends.) The presentation is zero.

The same performance has also been released by Kultur Video on VHS and DVD, and has to be preferred to this one.

Old but great performance
I bought this DVD for my parents who used to live in Moscow and frequently attended performances in the Bolshoi Theater. I was not sure what to expect from this DVD since the other Nutcracker DVD recordings were more recent (this one dates back to 1978), yet the Bolshoi is world famous. As it turns out, the performance itself is great. The sound quality is good and the picture quality is typical for color recordings from the seventies: the screen is permanently covered by a slight blue haze. Also, every five minutes or so the sound stalls for a split second. Moral of the story: if you're looking for something nice for the kids then you are better off buying George Balanchine's Nutcracker. If you are looking for a great classical performance by the Bolshoi Theatre and don't mind the slightly inferior picture quality and the periodically stalling sound then this DVD is for you. ... Read more