Ballet

The Nutcracker

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The Nutcracker ballet. Music by Tchaikovsky. Choreographed by George Balanchine. Performed and filmed December 14, 2011 at the David H. Koch Theater in Lincoln Center. Stars Megan Fairchild (Sugar Plum Fairy), Teresa Reichlen (Coffee), Daniel Ulbricht (Candy Cane), Ashley Bouder (Dewdrop),  Joaquín De Luz (the Cavalier), Colby Clark (Nutcracker, the Prince, and Drosselmeyer's Nephew), Fiona Brennan (Marie), and Adam Hendrickson (Drosselmeyer). Directed for TV by Alan Skog. In addition to the credits above, the keepcase booklet has over 275 additional credits for persons contributing to this title. Released 2016, disc has 5.0 dts-HD Master Audio sound output. Grade: B

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Ballet Hispánico

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Ballet Hispánico dance recital performed 2015 at the Mesa Arts Center in Mesa, Arizona (a suburb of Phoenix). Ballet Hispánico is directed by Eduardo Vilaro and has the mission of celebrating Latino culture through dance. It's an important dance group in New York City and one of the few dance companies in the United States to focus on Latin dance and culture. Pieces performed were CARMEN.maquia, choreographed by Gustavo Ramírez Sansano, and Club Havana, choreographed by Pedro Ruiz.

CARMEN.maquia stars Christopher Bloom (Don José), Kimberly Van Woesik (Carmen), Melissa Fernandez (Micaela), and Mario Ismael Espinoza (Escamillo). Cigar factory girls, soldiers, townsfolk, and Gypsies are played by Lauren Alzamora, Martina Calcagno, Shelby Colona, Kassandra Cruz, Mark Gieringer, Christopher Hernandez, Johan Rivera Mendez, Eila Valls, Lyvan Verdecia, and Joshua Winzeler. Recorded music segments, all from Bizet Carmen suites or the Pablo de Sarasate Carmen Concert Fantasy, are stitched together from many resources.  Set by Luis Crespo; costumes designed by David Delfin and made by Travis Halsey and Diana Ruettiger; lighting by Joshua Preston. Because all the music comes from the opera, the ballet must be viewed as a ballet telling of the opera libretto---not an easy task.

Club Havana performers are:

- Son (a Cuban dance popular in the 1930s): Martina Calcagno, Shelby Colona, Kassandra Cruz, Mario Ismael Espinoza, Melissa Fernandez, Mark Gieringer, Christopher Hernandez, Johan Rivera Mendez, Eila Valls, and Lyvan Verdecia. 

- Mambo: Shelby Colona & Lyvan Verdecia; Kassandra Cruz & Johan Rivera Mendez; and Eila Valls & Mario Ismael Espinoza.

- Cha Cha Cha: Melissa Fernandez, Mark Gieringer, and Christopher Hernandez.

- Bolero, Rhumba, and Congo: The Company.

The dances are performed to recorded music composed by Israel López, Rubén Gonzales, A. K. Salim, Perez Prado, and Francisco Repilado. Costumes by Ghabriello Fernando; lighting by Donald Holder.

The Ballet Hispánico group has its home on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. "Lincoln Center at the Movies" (LCatM) is a new resource. LCatM promoters seek American dance content that (1) has cultural significance and (2) can be shown in movie houses around the United States (thru Fathom Events in 2015) and maybe other countries. (It helps perhaps if the dance production has some connection, however slight, to Lincoln Center.) Selling an HDVD would be an additional profit center. (This business model was invented, of course, by Peter Gelb at the Met.)  Produced by Andrew Carl Wilk; directed for TV by Matthew Diamond. Released 2017, disc has 5.0 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: B

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Tatiana

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Tatiana ballet. Choreography by John Neumeier after Pushkin's Eugene Onegin. Music by Lera Auerbach. Performed 2014 by the Hamburg State Opera Ballet. Stars Hélène Bouchet (Tatiana Larina), Edvin Revazov (Eugene Onegin), Leslie Heylmann (Olga Larina), Alexandr Trusch (Vladimir Lensky), Carsten Jung (Prince N.), Niurka Moredo (Filipjevna, Tatiana's nurse), Sasha Riva and Marc Jubete (two males representing together Zaretsky, Lensky's second in the duel), Miljana Vračarić (Madame Larina), Xue Lin (The ballerina Istomina as Cleopatra), Silvano Ballone (Istomina's Partner as Marcus Antonius), Kiran West (Guillot), and Thomas Stuhrmann (An officer). Also features the following dancers as figures from Tatiana's novels: Hayley Page (Rousseu's Julie Wolmar), Florian Pohl (Saint Preux, Julie Wolmar's teacher), Braulio Álvarez (The "Sarazin" Malek Adhel, brother of the historical Saladin), Yaiza Coll (Matilda, Malek Adhel's lover and sister of Richard the Lionheart), Futaba Ishizaki (Harriet Byron), Jacopo Belussi (Grandison), and Edvin Revazov (Ruthven, the vampire). Simon Hewett conducts the Hamburg State Philharmonic Orchestra. Staging, sets, costumes, and lighting by John Neumeier. Directed for TV by Thomas Grimm; produced for TV by Antoine Perset and Denis Morlière. Bonus film by Reiner E. Moritz called Tatiana—Back to Pushkin. Released 2016, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound output. Grade: A-

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Manon Ballet

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Kenneth MacMillan's L'Histoire de Manon ballet performed May 2015 at the Paris Opera Ballet - Garnier Palace. Music consists of excerpts from the works Jules Massenet arranged and orchestrated by Martin Yates. Choreography and stage directions of Kenneth MacMillan as interpreted by Karl Burnett and Gary Harris with rehearsal director Patricia Ruanne. Stars Aurélie Dupont (Manon Lescaut), Roberto Bolle (Le Chevalier Des Grieux), Stéphane Bullion (Lescaut), Alice Renavand (La maîtresse (mistress) de Lescaut), Benjamin Pech (Monsieur Guillot de Morfontaine), Karl Paquette (Le Geôlier (jailor)), and Viviane Descoutures (Madame). Martin Yates directs the Orchestra of the Paris Opera Ballet. Set and costume designs by Nicholas Georgiadis; lighting by John B. Read. Co-directed for TV by Cédric Klapisch and Miguel Octave. Released 2016, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A-

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Mata Hari

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Mata Hari ballet choreographed and directed by Ted Brandsen. Music by Tarik O'Regan with orchestration by Anthony Weeden. Libretto by Janine Brogt. Staged 2016 at the Dutch National Opera. Stars (in order listed in disc booklet) Anna Tsygankova (Born Margaretha Zelle, later known as Mata Hari), Casey Herd (Rudolph McLeod, Margaretha's husband), Jozef Varga (General Kiepert), Artur Shesterikov (Vadim De Masloff), Young Gyu Choi (Shiva), Wen Ting Guan (Temple Dancer), Emanouela Merdjanova (Friede McLeod, Rudolph's mother), Erica Horwood (Isadora Duncan), Nadia Yanowsky (La Madame), Edo Wijnen (Master of Ceremonies), Anatole Babenko (M. Guimet), Roman Artyushkin (Lieutanant Ladoux), Wendeline Wijkstra, Pascalle Paerel, Hannah de Klein (three Aunts), Wolfgang Tietze, Peter Leung, Matthew Pawlicki-Sinclair (three Uncles), and Nicolas Rapaic (Adam Zelle, Margatetha's father) as well as students and pupils of the Dutch National Ballet Academy. Matthew Rowe conducts the Dutch National Ballet Orchestra. Sets and lighting by Clement & Sanôu; costumes by François-Noël Cherpin; video directed by Jeff Tudor. Released 2016, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound (sound info on back of package above is wrong and was corrected on the disc I bought). Grade: B

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The Sleeping Beauty

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The Sleeping Beauty ballet. Music by Tchaikovsky. Libretto by Nacho Duato after Ivan Vsevolozhsky. Choreography and stage direction by Nacho Duato.

All dancers are soloists or members of the Corp de Ballet of the Staatsballett Berlin. Members of the Court are Iana Salenko (Aurora), Marian Walter (Prince Désiré), Michael Banzhaf (King Florestan), Beatrice Knop (Queen), Arshak Ghalumyan (Catalabutte, Master of Ceremony), Martina Böckmann (the Nurse), Elvis Abazi (Page), and Ty Gurfein (Page). Fairies and their suites are Anastasia Kurkova and Dominic Hodal (Candide Fairy), Krasina Pavlova and Alexej Orlenco (Fleur de Farine Fairy), Aurora Dickie and Kévin Pouzou (Miettes Fairy), Marina Kanno and Federico Spallitta (Canari Fairy), Elena Pris and Olaf Kollmannsperger (Violante Fairy), Sarah Mestrovic and Nikolay Korypaev (Lilac Fairy), Rishat Yulbarisov and Alexander Abdukarimov, Alexander Korn, Artur Lill, Vladislav Marinov, Lucio Vidal, and Wei Wang (Carabosse). The four Princes are Nikolay Korypaev, Kévin Pouzou, Alexej Orlenco, and Olaf Kollmannsperger. Sebnem Gülseker is the Duchess. The trio consists of Krasina Pavlova, Vladislav Marinov, and Ulian Topor. The Fairy Jems are Anastasia Kurkova (Sapphire), Krasina Pavlova (Amethyst), Elena Pris (Gold) and Olaf Kollmannsperger (Gold).  Danielle Muir and Ulian Topor are Puss in Boots and the White Pussycat. The Bluebird and Princess Florine are Marina Kanno and Nikolay Korypaev. Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf are Maria Boumpouli and Dominic Hodal. The Frog Prince and the Princess are Lisa Breuker and Alexander Shpak. Cinderella and the Prince are Aoi Suyama and Giacomo Bevilacqua. The Beauty and the Beast are Xenia Wiest and Taras Bilenko.

Robert Reimer conducts the Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin. Set and costume designs by Angelina Atlagic; lighting by Brad Fields. Directed for TV and video by Andy Sommer. Produced by François Duplat. Released 2016, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A+

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Rhapsody and The Two Pigeons

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Frederick Ashton Rhapsody and The Two Pigeons ballets:

  • Steven McRae and Natalia Osipova star in Rhapsody supported by Olivia Cowley, Elizabeth Harrod, Meaghan Grace Hinkis, Emma Maguire, Yasmine Naghdi, Beatriz Stix-Brunell, Luca Acri, Tristan Dyer, Nicol Edmonds, Benjamin Ella, Kevin Emerton, and Marcelino Sambé of the Royal Ballet.  Music is Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Barry Wordsworth conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House (Concert Master Vasko Vassilev); solo piano by Robert Clark. Sets by Ashton; original costumes by William Chappell recreated by Natalia Stewart; lighting by Peter Teigen; staging by Christopher Carr; ballet mistress was Samantha Reine; principal coaching by Alexander Agahzhanov and Lesley Collier; Benesh notator Grant Coyle.
  • The Two Pigeons is danced by Lauren Cuthbertson (The Girl Friend), Vadim Muntagirov (The Artist), Fumi Kaneko (The Gipsy Princess), Ryoichi Hirano (The Gypsy Prince), and Marcelino Sambé (Gypsy Boy) supported by Elizabeth McGorian, Elizabeth Harrod, Meaghan Grace Hinkis, Chisato Katsura, Mayara Magri, Emma Maguire, Yasmine Naghdi, Romany Pajdak, and Leticia Stock of the Royal Ballet. Music is by André Messager adapted and arranged by John Lanchbery. Barry Wordsworth conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House (Concert Master Vasko Vassilev). Designs by Jacques Dupont; lighting by Peter Teigen; revived and staged by Chistopher Carr; ballet mistress was Samantha Reine; principal coaching by Gary Avis, Christopher Carr, and Lesley Collier; Benesh notator Gregory Mislin.

Directed for TV by Ross MacGibbon. Released 2016, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: B for Rhapsody, C+ for The Two Pigeons, and B- blended grade.

 

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Gala des Étoiles

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2015 Gala des Étoiles dance recital at the Teatro alla Scala. Stars dancers (alphabetical order) Roberto Bolle, Claudio Coviello, Marlon Dino, Maria Eichwald, Melissa Hamilton, Lucia Lacarra, Nicoletta Manni, Massimo Murru, Leonid Sarafanov, Alina Somova, Ivan Vasiliev, Maria Vinogradova, Svetlana Zakharova, and Mick Zeni. David Coleman conducts the Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala. Directed for the screen by Lorena Sardi. Released 2016, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A (see qualifications below)

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La Bayadère

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💓 La Bayadère ("The Temple Dancer") ballet. Music by Ludwig Minkus. Libretto by Marius Petipa and Sergei Khudekov redacted by Yuri Grigorovich. Choreographed by Marius Petipa with new scenic version by Yuri Grigorovich and also with scenes from productions by Vakhtang Chabukiani, Nikolai Zubkovsky, and Konstantin Sergeyev. Recorded January 2013 at the Bolshoi. Stars Svetlana Zakharova (Nikiya), Vladislav Lantratov (Solor), Maria Alexandrova (Gamzatti), Alexey Loparevich (Rajah Dugmanta), Andrey Sitnikov (High Brahmin), Denis Medvedev (The Golden Idol), Alexander Voytyuk (Warrior Toloragva), Denis Rodkin (a Slave), Anton Savichev (Magadaveya, a fakir) Anastasia Vinokur (Aya, a Slave), Yulia Lunkina, Svetlana Pavlova (Gumpe), Karim Abdulin, Ivan Alexeyev, Anna Leonova, Yanina Parienko, Anna Okuneva, Maria Vinogradova,Svetlana Pavlova, Yulia Lunkina, Anastasya Gubanova, Elizaveta Kruteleva (Grand Pas), Anna Antropova, Vitaly Biktimirov, Igor Tsvirko (Drum dance), Anna Rebetskaya, Polina Dyachkova, Irina Chuvakina (Manu dance), Anastasia Stashkevich (First Shade), Anna Tikhomirova (Second Shade), and Chinara Alizade (Third Shade). Pavel Sorokin conducts the Bolshoi Theater Orchestra. Set and costume designs by Nikolay Sharonov with advice from Valery Levental; lighting by Mikhail Sokolov; filmed by Vincent Bataillon; produced by François Duplat. Released 2013, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A+

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Swan Lake

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Swan Lake ballet. Music by Tchaikovsky. Book by V. P. Begitchev and Vasily Geltzer. Tragic choreography by Rudolf Nureyev in the tradition of Lev Ivanov and Marius Petipa. Directed 2014 by Manuel Legris at the Vienna State Opera. Stars Vladimir Shishov (Prince Siegfried); Olga Esina (Odette/Odile); Dagmar Kronberger (the Queen); and Eno Peci (Rothbart). Other dancers are  Alice Ferenze, Kiyoka Hashimoto, Masayu Kimoto, and Greig Matthews (the Prince's Friends); Gala Jovanovic, Oxana Kiyanenko, Laura Nistor, and Prisca Zeisel (The Big Swans); Maria Alati, Ioanna Avraam, Eszter Ledán, and Rui Tamai (The Cygnets); Oxana Kyanenko, Flavia Soares, Alexandru Tcacenco, and Andrey Teterin (Spanish Dancers); Kiyoka Hashimoto and Richard Szabó (Neapolitan Dancers); Alena Klochkova and Alexis Forabosco (Polish Dancers); Alice Firenze and Mihail Sosnovschi (Hungarian Dancers); Maria Alati, Ioanna Avraam, Eszter Ledán, Reina Sawai, Rui Tamai, and Nina Tonoli (The Young Noble Ladies); Christoph Wenzel (The Prince's Tutor); Gabor Oberegger (The Majordomo); and the Corps de ballet plus Students of the Ballet Academy of the Wiener Staatsoper. Alexander Ingram conducts the Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera. Sets and costumes designed by Luisa Spinatelli assisted by Monia Torchia; lighting by Marion Hewlett; staging by Manuel Legris, Alice Necsea, Lukas Gaudernak, and Jean Christophe Lesage; directed for TV by Michael Beyer. Released 2014, this Blu-ray disc has 5.0 dts-HD Master Audio sound.Grade: A+

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La Dame aux camélias

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La Dame aux camélias ballet. Choreography by John Neumeier. Music by Frédéric Chopin. Produced 2008 by Paris Opera Ballet at Palais Garnier. Stars Agnès Letestu, Stéphane Bulllion, Machaël Denard, Dorothée Gilbert, Delphine Moussin, José Martinez, Eve Grinsztajn, Karl Paquette, Laurent Novis, Béatrice Martel, and Simon Valastro. Michael Schmidtsdorff conducts The Paris Opera Orchestra. Solo pianists are Emmanuel Strosser and Frédéric Vaysse-Knitter. Set and costume design by Jürgen Rose; lighting by Rolf Warter; directed for TV by Thomas Grimm. Disc also has a good Opus Arte synopsis and a valuable documentary by Reiner E. Moritz and Stéphane Loison. The show and documentary last more than 4 hours on 2 discs. Released 2009, show has 5.0 PCM sound. Grade: A+

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Swan Lake

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Swan Lake ballet. Music by Tchaikovsky. Book by V. P. Begitchev and Vasily Geltzer. Choreography by Rudolf Nureyev in tradition of Lev Ivanov and Marius Petipa. Directed 2005 by Brigitte Lefèvre and Patricia Ruanne at the Paris Opera Ballet (Opéra Bastille). Stars Agnès Letestu (Odette/Odile), José Martinez (Prince Siegfried), Karl Paquette (Tutor/Rothbart), Muriel Hallé (The Queen), Michel Pasternak (Master of Ceremonies), Marie-Isabelle Peracchi (Ghost of White Swan), Nolwenn Daniel, Dorothée Gilbert and Emmanuel Thibault (Pas de Trois), Dorothée Gilbert, Myriam Ould-Braham, Fanny Fiat, and Mathilde Froustey (Cygnets), Emilie Cozette, Stéphanie Romberg, Aurélia Bellet, Laurence Laffon (Big Swans), Fanny Fiat and Alessio Carbone (Czardas), Stéphanie Romberg, Nathalie Riqué, Julien Meyzindi, and Christophe Duquenne (Spanish Dance), plus Myriam Ould-Braham and Jérémie Bélingard (Neaposiatan Dance). Vello Pähn directs the Paris Opera Orchestra. Set design by Ezio Frigerio; costumes by Franca Squarciapino; lighting by Vinicio Cheli. Directed for TV by François Roussillon. Released 2008, this Blu-ray disc has 5.0 PCM sound. Grade: A+

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The Sleeping Beauty

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💓 The Sleeping Beauty ballet. Music by Tchaikovsky. Libretto by Ivan Vsevolozhsky and Marius Petipa. Choreography by Marius Petipa as revived 2011 by Yuri Grigorovich. Stars Svetlana Zakharova (Aurora), David Hallberg (Prince Désiré), Maria Allash (Lilac Fairy), Alexey Loparevich (Carabosse), Artem Ovcharenko (Bluebird), Nina Kaptsova (Princess Florine), Andrei Sitnikov (King FLorestan), and Kristina Karasyova (Queen). Vassily Sinaisky conducts the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra. Set design by Ezio Frigerio; costume design by Franca Squarciapino; lighting by Vinicio Chelie. Directed for TV by Vincent Bataillon; produced by François Duplat. Released 2012, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A+

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McGregor Triple Bill

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In the 💓 McGregor Triple Bill we have three modern ballets choreographed by Wayne McGregor at the Royal Opera Ballet:

Chroma. Music by Joby Talbot and Jack White III, arranged by Talbot and orchestrated by Christopher Austin. Stars Federico Bonelli, Ricardo Cervera, Mara Galeazzi, Sarah Lamb, Steven McRae, Laura Morera, Ludovic Ondiviela, Tamara Rojo, Eric Underwood, Jonathan Watkins, and Edward Watson. Daniel Capps conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House (Peter Schulmeister Associate Concert Master). Sets by John Pawson; costumes by Moritz Junge; lighting by Lucy Carter.

Infra. Music by Max Richter. Stars Leanne Benjamin, Ricardo Cervera, Yuhui Choe, Lauren Cuthbertson, Mara Galeazzi, Melissa Hamilton, Ryoichi Hirano, Paul Kay, Marianela Nuñez, Eric Underwood, Jonathan Watkins, and Edward Watson. Music played by Max Richter Quintet with violins Lousia Fuller, Natalia Bonner, viola Nick Barr, and cellos Helen Rathbone and Chris Worsey. Solo piano by Robert Clark. Sets by Julian Opie; costumes by Moritz Junge; lighting by Lucy Carter; sound design by Chris Ekers.

Limen. Music is Notes on Light by Kaija Saariaho. Stars Leanne Benjamin, Yuhui Choe, Tristan Dyer, Mara Galeazzi, Melissa Hamilton, Paul Kay, Sarah Lamb, Brian Maloney, Steven McRae, Marianela Nuñez, Ludovic Ondiviela, Leticia Stock, Akane Takada, Eric Underwood, and Edward Watson. Barry Wordsworth conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House (Concert Master Peter Manning). Solo cello by Anssi Karttunen. Sets and video designs by Tatsuo Miyajima; costumes by Moritz Junge; lighting by Lucy Carter.

Chroma and Limen directed for TV by Margaret Williams; Infra directed for TV by Jonathan Haswell. Released 2011, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A+

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Orpheus und Eurydike

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Christoph Gluck 💓 Orpheus und Eurydike dance-opera. Unusual choreography and stage directions by Pina Bausch with singers and dancers simultaneously on stage for each main character. Filmed at the Palais Garnier Opera in February 2008. Gluck wrote Italian and French versions of his opera; this dance-opera version is heavily reworked by Bausch and sung in German. Choreographer assistants are Malou Airaudo, Mariko Aoyama, Bénédicte Billiet, Josephine Ann Endicott, and Dominique Mercy. Orpheus is danced by Yann Bridard and sung by mezzo soprano Maria Riccarda Wesseling; Eurydike is danced by Marie-Agès Gillot and sung by soprano Julia Kleiter; Amor is danced by Miteki Kudo and sung by soprano Sunhae Im. Also stars dancers Yong Geol Kim, Nicolas Paul, Vincent Cordier, Emilie Cozette, Eleonora Abbagnato, Eve Grinsztajn, Muriel Zusperreguy, Caroline Bance, Christelle Garnier, Alice Renavand, Amélie Lamoureux, Charlotte Ranson, Séverine Westermann, Natacha Gilles, Marie-Isabelle Peracchi, Bruno Bouché, Vincent Chaillet, Sébastien Bertaud, Alexis Renaud, and Erwan Le Roux. Thomas Hengelbrock directs the Balthasar-Neumann Ensemble and Choir. Set, costume, and lighting designs by Rolf Borzik (Pina's husband who died in 1980). Costumes made by Marion Cito; lighting by Johan Delaere; lighting engineers were Michel Susini and Madjid Hakimi; produced by François Duplat; filmed by Vincent Bataillon. Released 2009, this disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A+

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