Le Corsaire ballet. Libretto (after Lord Byron's poem The Corsair), choreography, and stage direction by Kader Belarbi. Assistant Choreographer was Laure Muret. Performed 2013 at the Théâtre National du Capitole de Toulouse. Original music composed by Adolphe Adam, with additional music by Anton Arensky, David Coleman, Édouard Lalo, Jules Massenet, and and Jean Sibelius. Stars Maria Gutierrez (Slave-Girl), Davit Galstyan (Corsaire), Takafumi Watanabe (Sultan), Juliette Thélin (Sultan's Favorite Concubine), Demian Vargas (Corsair's Companion), Juliana Bastos and Julie Loria (Two Slaves), Henrik Victorin (Slave Trader), Cédric Pons (Guard) and Joël Sitbon (Guard). In addition, Ballet du Capitole Supernumeraries playing the roles of Concubines, Dervishes, Peris, Corsairs, City Folk, etc. include Nuria Arteaga, Virginie Baïet-Dartigalongue, Taisha Barton-Rowledge, Juliana Bastos, Isabelle Brusson, Olivia Hartzell, Lauren Kennedy, Ina Lesnakowski, Julia Loria, Maki Matsuoka, Solène Monnereau, Gwenaëlle Poline, Pascale Saurel, Vanessa Spiteri, Alexander Akulov, Matthew Astley, Petros Chrkhoyan, Kamill-Ariston Chudoba, Adrien Delépine, Pierre Devaux, Jean-Gabriel Evrard, Julian Ims, Shizen Kazama, Jérémy Leydier, Nicolas Rombout, Henrik Victorin, Yannick Valentian, and Stéphane Motard. David Coleman directs the Orchestre National du Capitole. Sets by Sylvie Olivé; costumes by Olivier Bériot; lighting by Marian Hewlett; Camille Ansquer assisted in designing sets; artistic advice by Martine Kahame; music advice by Elena Rassadkina Bonnay.   Directed for screen by Luc Riolon; produced by Fabienne Servan Schreiber and Laurence Miller. Released 2014, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: C+

Jewels ballet. Choreography by George Balanchine. Music by Gabriel Fauré, Igor Stravinsky, and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Performed 2005 by Paris Opera Ballet. Stars solo dancers Aurélie Dupont, Marie-Angès Gillot, Angès Lestestu, Clairemarie Osta, Laëtitia Pujol, Eleonora Abbagnato, Isabelle Ciaravola, Emilie Cozette, Jean-Guillaume Bart, Kader Belarbi, Mathieu Ganio, Alessio Carbone, Nolwenn Daniel, and Emmanuel Thibault. Corps de ballet: Nathalie Aubin, Bertrand Belem, Aurelia Bellet, Sébastien Bertraud, Audric Bezard, Bruno Bouché, Marie-Solène Boulet, Alexandra Cardinale, Cyril Chokroun, Lucie Clément, Aurore Cordellier, Julien Cozette, Leïla Dilhac, Noëmie Djiniadhis, Grégory Dominiak, Christophe Duquenne, Fanny Fiat, Mathilde Froustey, Grégory Gaillard, Mallory Gaudion, Muriel Hallé, Laura Hecquet, Mathias Heymann, Josua Hoffalt, Axel Ibot, Laurence Laffon, Vanessa Legassy, Laurène Lévy, Florian Magnenet, Sabrina Mallem, Sandrine Marache, Julie Martel, Juliane Mathis, Julien Meyzindi, Cyril Mitilian, Myriam Ould-Braham, Ludmilla Pagliero, Céline Palacio, Sofia Parcen, Nathalie Quernet, Fabien Révillion, Alexis Saramite, Cécile Sciaux, Simon Valastro, and Karine Villagrassa. Paul Connelly directs the Orchestra of the Opéra national de Paris. Set and costume design by Christian Lacroix; lighting by Jennifer Tipton; directed for TV by Pierre Cavassilas. Released 2008, has 5.0 PCM sound. Grade: B

La Bête et la Belle (The Beast and the Beauty) ballet to a libretto by Josseline Le Bourhis and Kader Belarbi, after the tale Beauty and the Beast. Music by Louis-Claude Daquin, Joseph Haydn, György Ligeti, and Maurice Ravel. Staged and choreographed by Kader Belarbi assisted by Susanna Campo. Recorded 2013 at the Théâtre du Capitole, Toulouse. Stars Takafumi Watanabe (The Beast), Julie Loria (Beauty), and Kazbek Akhmedyarov (Toroador). Cranes: Juliana Bastos, Caroline Betancourt, Emilia Cadorin, Julie Charlet, Lauren Kennedy, Eukene Sagues-Abad, Silvia Selvini, Peirre Devaux, and Shizen Kazama. The Swan: Valerio Mangianti. The Vulture: Demian Vargas. The Pimp: Jérémy Lyedier. Ostriches: Taisha Barton-Rowledge and Solène Monnereau. Goose feet: Maki Matsuoka and Vanessa Spiteri. Magpie tails: Matthew Astley, Petros Chrkhoyan, Giuseppe Depalo, Evgueni Dokoukine, and Nicolas Rombaut. Snake tails: Virginie Baïet-Dartigalongue, Juliette Thélin, Alexander Akulov, and Théodore Nelson. Aristocrats: Juliana Bastos, Lauren Kennedy, Matthew Astley, Valerio Mangianti, and Demian Vargas. Whippers-in: Juliette Thélin, Giuseppe Depalo, and Jérémy Lyedier. Hounds: Virginie Baïet-Dartigalongue, Taisha Barton-Rowledge, Caroline Betancourt, Emilia Cadorin, Julie Charlet, Maki Matsuoka, Solène Monnereau, Eukene Sagues-Abad, Silvia Selvini, Vanessa Spiteri, Petros Chrkhoyan, Pierre Devaux, Evgueni Dokoukine, Shizen Kazama, Théodore Nelson, and Nicolas Rombaut. Designs by Valérie Berman assisted as to sets by Sophie Kitching and as to costumes by Jean-Jacques Delmotte; lighting by Marc Parent; directed for screen by Luc Riolon; produced by Fabienne Servan Schreiber and Laurence Miller. Released 2015, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: B

TThe Winter's Tale ballet. Music by Joby Talbot. Choreography by Christopher Wheeldon. Recorded 2014 at the Royal Opera House. Stars Edward Watson (Leontes, King of Sicilia), Lauren Cuthbertson (Hermione, Queen of Sicilia), Sarah Lamb (Perdita, Princess of Sicilia), Joe Parker (Mamillius, Prince of Sicilia), Zenaida Yanowsky (Paulina, head of Hermione's household), Bennet Gartside (Antigonus, head of Leontes' household), Federico Bonelli (Polixenes, King of Bohemia), Steven McRae (Florizel, Prince of Bohemia), Thomas Whitehead (head of Polixenes' household), Gary Avis (Father Shepherd), Valentino Zucchetti (Clown, son of Father Shepherd) and Beatriz Stiz-Brunell (Young Shepherdess). David Briskin conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House (Concert Master Peter Manning). Stage band consists of Eliza Marshall on bansuri flute; Gregory Knowles on dulcimer, Ian Watson on accordion, and Rod Farrer plus Jeremy Wiles playing percussion. Designs by Bob Crowley; lighting design by Natasha Katz; projection design by Daniel Brodie; silk effects design by Basil Twist. Directed for TV by Ross MacGibbon. Released 2015, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A+

Don Quixote ballet. Music by Ludwig Minkus arranged and orchestrated by Martin Yates. Directed and choreographed (after Marius Petipa) in 2013 by Carlos Acosta in his first work for the Royal Opera House in those capacities. Stars Marianela Nuñez (Kitri), Carlos Acosta (Basilio), Christopher Saunders (Don Quixote), Philip Mosley (Sancho Panza), Gary Avis (Lorenzo), Bennet Gartside (Gamache), Ryoichi Hirano (Espada), Laura Morera (Mercedes), Melissa Hamilton (Queen of the Dryads), Elizabeth Harrod (Amour), Christina Arestis (Dulcinea), Yuhui Choe and Beatriz Stix-Brunell (Kitri's Friends), Valeri Hristov and Johannes Stepanek (Two Matadors), Itziar Mendizabal and Thomas Whitehead (Gypsy Couple and Fandango Couple), and Kristen McNally (Tavern Girl). Martin Yates conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House (Co-Concert Master Sergey Levitin). Stage designs by Tim Hatley; lighting by Hugh Vanstone; directed for screen by Ross MacGibbon. Released 2014, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: B-

Giselle ballet. Music by Adolphe Adam revised by Joseph Horovitz. Libretto by Théophile Gautier and Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges. Choreography by Marius Petipa after Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot. Directed 2014 by Sir Peter Wright at the Royal Opera House. Stars Natalia Osipova (Giselle), Carlos Acosta (Count Albrecht), Thomas Whitehead (Hilarion), Deirdre Chapman (Berthe), Johannes Stepanek (Wilfred, Albrecht's Squire), Christopher Saunders (Duke of Courland), Christina Arestes (Bathilde, Courland's daughter), Alastair Marriott (Leader of the Hunt), Hikaru Kobayashi (Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis), Elisabeth Harrod (Moyna, Myrtha's attendant), Akane Takada (Zulme, Myrtha's attendant). Pas de Six danced by Yuhui Choe, Valentino Zucchetti, Francesca Hayward, Luca Acri, Yasmine Naghdi, and Marcelino Sambé). Boris Gruzin conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House (Concert Master Peter Manning). Designs by John Macfarlane; lighting  by Jennifer Tipton recreated by David Finn; staging by Christopher Carr; directed for screen by Ross MacGibbon. Released 2014, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A-