New Swan Lake DVD from TDK

[DSanderson]

Info from: TDK Swan Lake

Svetlana Zakharova (Odette/Odile)

Roberto Bolle (Prince Siegfried)

Antonio Sutera (Jester)

Gianni Chisleni (Rothbart)

Sabrina Brazzo (Princess)

Flavia Vallone (Queen)

James Tuggle, Corpo di Ballo ed Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala, 2004

Choreography: Vladimir Bourmeister after Lev Ivanov

Special Feature: The Rehearsal

NTSC, 16:9, 146 minutes, DD 5.1, DTS 5.1, PCM-STEREO

Release Dates:

Europe: Sep. 2005

UK: Autumn 2005

USA, Canada: Autumn 2005

[Dale]

Wow, this is great. I'm not that thrilled with some of the productions at La Scala, but I've enjoyed Zakharova in Swan Lake in the past.

[Joseph]

I can't wait!

I just got her in "Pharaoh's Daughter." She is wonderful...

[EvilNinjaX]

Info from: TDK Swan Lake

Svetlana Zakharova (Odette/Odile)

Roberto Bolle (Prince Siegfried)

Antonio Sutera (Jester)

Gianni Chisleni (Rothbart)

Sabrina Brazzo (Princess)

Flavia Vallone (Queen)

James Tuggle, Corpo di Ballo ed Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala, 2004

Choreography: Vladimir Bourmeister after Lev Ivanov

Special Feature: The Rehearsal

NTSC, 16:9, 146 minutes,  DD 5.1, DTS 5.1, PCM-STEREO

Release Dates:

Europe: Sep. 2005

UK: Autumn 2005

USA, Canada: Autumn 2005

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August 21 in Japan R2 NTSC

http://cdjapan.jp/detailview.html?KEY=TDBT-110

-goro-

[LadyRosa]

Has anyone seen the DVD yet? I can't wait to read how you think about this performance!

[Joseph]

just ordered it on Amazon- will let you know!

[Cliff]

Zhakarova is light on her feet and has wonderfully graceful arm movements! I enjoyed her dancing and would like to see more.

The production has the Burmeister choreography. Notable is the presence of a jester who overshadows prince Siegfried. The jester doesn't do any humorous mime or slapstick comedy, so it is unclear why the dancer was costumed as a jester. There is also expended choreography for a princess who is a fine dancer.

The video is well lit. Not dark or washed out. The editing is good except for too many cuts when the corps is dancing. Distant view, closeup, sideways, view for orchestra, then balcony....

[Marc Haegeman]

This new DVD appears to be a rather unsuccessful example of how to film a ballet performance. Cameras seem to have been in every corner and level of the theatre and the film editor clearly was overeager to show us they were. The mix of images, longshot, closeup etc. is at times very distracting and long movements like the adagio's are difficult to follow.

The La Scala production of Burmeisters version is pleasantly classical, brightly coloured (and in this respect much preferable to the POB's carnavalesque version of the Burmeister "Swan Lake" with Pietragalla and Dupond) but company dancing is no great shakes. This DVD is mainly of interest to have for Svetlana Zakharova in one of her signature roles.

As an extra there is a short but useful documentary with La Scala AD Frédéric Olivieri introducing the Burmeister choreography and some footage of rehearsals.

[canbelto]

I ordered this but it hasnt arrived yet. How is Zakharova?

[art076]

Zahkarova is lovely on this DVD, particularly in Act II. Her White Swan Pas de Deux is appropriately lyrical and drawn out, and her Swan Queen variation is marvelous. She's particularly good at creating beautiful poses, so that and her strong technique make the variation very good. The only disappointment is that the Bourmeister version does not include the "traditional" Black Swan Pas de Deux, but a replacement version using music that we usually hear with Balanchine's Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux. It would have been nice to see Zakharova dance the traditional PdD, as this one has choreography that isn't of any particular note. Still, however, her Odile is still very strong in the character department.

[canbelto]

Ok I got the Swan Lake and reviewed it for Amazon. Here's what I wrote:

----------------------------

This new dvd from La Scala Ballet is notable for two things: 1. It's the famous Vladimir Bourmeister production, which the Paris Opera Ballet used for years prior to Nureyev's production; and 2. it preserves Svetlana Zakharova's Odette/Odile on film.

Bourmeister's production differs from most Western productions of Swan Lake in several respects. One is that, like the Soviet productions, there is a prominent role for a Jester in Acts 1 and 3. The Jester in this case is Antonino Sutera. Personally I find the Jester distracting, but that's just my bias.

The second major difference concerns the music used for the "Black Swan" pas de deux. To explain this a little history is needed: the original music for the Black Swan pdd was lost. In the famous 1895 Petipa/Ivanov production, some music Tchaikovsky had composed for Act 1 was used in the Black Swan pdd. This has become the "traditional" Black Swan music that is used in the majority of Swan Lake productions. Bourmeister decided to use music Tchaikovsky later composed for the Black Swan pas de deux. For balletomanes this music should be instantly familiar because George Balanchine used this music for his "Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux" which remains a favorite showpiece for dancers. Personally, I prefer the "traditional" Black Swan pdd music even though the Bourmeister choice may be more authentic. The traditional music with sounds more sinister and predatory, while the music used in the Bourmeister production sounds too lush and romantic. But still it's a very nice tune, and I don't mind it being used. Bourmeister puts some of the "traditional" Black Swan pdd back into Act 1 as a solo for Siegfried.

The third major difference is that Bourmeister's production has a Soviet-style happy ending, with Siegfried defeating Rothbart and Odette transformed back into a human. I personally prefer the ending of Odette and Siegfried dying and being pulled by a Swan Boat into heaven.

What about the dancing? The Siegfried in this production has relatively little actual solo dancing. But Robert Bolle is handsome, and is a sensitive partner for Zakharova. And how is Zakharova's Odette/Odile? I'm going to admit a personal bias -- I think Russian-trained ballerinas simply make better Odette/Odile's. The strong curvature of their spine, plus their emphasis on fluid arm and back movement, simply makes them more convincingly swan-like. Zakharova (formerly of the Kirov, now of the Bolshoi) is no exception. Tall, long-limbed, extremely flexible, and possessing great physical beauty, Zakharova is a regal, tender Odette and a sexy, alluring Odile. I've seen Zakharova both live and on video and she always struck me as a beautiful but somewhat cold dancer. But not here. Her Odette touched me greatly. Like most Russian ballerinas she takes the White Swan pdd at an exceedingly slow pace, so that each movement and pose takes on an almost statuesque majesty and beauty. Zakharova also unfortunately displays some weaknesses that are typical of Russian training. Like many great Russian dancers (Rudolf Nureyev, Natalia Makarova come to mind) Zakharova is an erratic turner. In Odette's Act 1 variation Odette has to do a series of fast pirouettes ending with an arabesque on pointe. Zakharova runs out of steam, and kind of cheats her final pirouettes (you have to see the video to see what I mean). In the third act, Odile has to do the traditional 32 fouettes. Zakharova starts out strongly, even throwing some double fouettes into the mix, but at about 25 suddenly Siegfried walks behind her and her remaining fouettes are supported. I've never seen this before -- Zakharova must have signalled to Robert Bolle that she needed help. Still, these weaknesses do not detract from the overall beauty and majesty of Zakharova's Swan Queen.

The production (produced by former Paris Opera Ballet etoile Florence Clerc) is beautiful, with lovely costumes. The La Scala Ballet corps can't match the Kirov or Paris Ballet in uniformity, but they are certainly not to be sniffed at either. I have a real problem with the way this performance was filmed. The cameramen seemed not to know what the "big moments" of Swan Lake were, and let the camera wander. One particularly egregious example was at the end of Act 2, when Odette is transformed back into a swan. She bourrees offstage, and flaps her "wings" (arms) bonelessly like a bird. This is a Big Moment in Swan Lake, but the cameramen don't show Zakharova's exit. Instead they focus the camera on Bolle, who's not doing anything. This isn't quite as bad as the 1957 Bolshoi film of Swan Lake that cut away from Maya Plisetskaya's ENTRANCE as Odette, but still it's annoying. One last thing: this Bourmeister production (unlike the recent American Ballet Theatre slash-job) is not cut. Act 4 (which was butchered in the ABT video) remains intact, which is important to me, because otherwise, where is the emotional impact of Odette's forgiveness?

[Joseph]

I ordered it on Wednesday of last week and still have not received it. I ma eagerly awaiting and will give my opinions...

[art076]

Just one note, canbelto:

The Bourmeister production doesn't actually include all 32 fouettes in the Black Swan Pas de Deux - when the Moscow Stanislavsky Ballet did it, a similar thing happened, where they ended quickly and were cut off by the corps, and it happened for all three casts performing the role. I'm not sure why Bourmeister decided to curtail the fouettes, but in any case Zakharova may actually be able to do them. She does do a long series of them on the recent "Pharaoh's Daughter" DVD.

[Marc Haegeman]

In the third act, Odile has to do the traditional 32 fouettes. Zakharova starts out strongly, even throwing some double fouettes into the mix, but at about 25 suddenly Siegfried walks behind her and her remaining fouettes are supported. I've never seen this before -- Zakharova must have signalled to Robert Bolle that she needed help. Still, these weaknesses do not detract from the overall beauty and majesty of Zakharova's Swan Queen.

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But this is the choreography, canbelto - there is no signalling for help whatsoever, it's how it's supposed to be.

Similarly, Zakharova often ends her 1st Act variation the way she does it here. I don't see any "running out of steam", nor would I call her an "erratic turner" :mellow:

[Helene]

But this is the choreography, canbelto - there is no signalling for help whatsoever, it's how it's supposed to be.

That is really fascinating. I don't think I've ever seen supported fouettes. The woman would have to be very disciplined in her placement during the "whip", just as the leg was starting to tire.

[Rosa]

I found this production visually stunning. Beautiful costumes and sets. I liked Burmeister's choreography; I thought it was a very clever touch having Odile appear at various times during the international dances in Act III, vanishing as Siegfried rushed for a closer look. He was all set up to be duped by the PDD. The La Scala corps I thought were very good in the first and third acts, a notch down in the white acts. Bolle was a noble handsome prince and good partner, yet didn't seem involved emotionally. I found Zakharova too cool as Odette, yet a perfectly wicked Odile.

I was puzzled by the end of Act III. Siegfried did not swear to love Odile (at least not that I could tell). So why did she and Rothbart leave the ball in such triumph, and Siegfried in such anguish? What had he done that was so terrible? Perhaps someone familiar with this production can help me understand...