EricMontreal22 Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Sleeping Beauty is my "holy grail" ballet--the one I've been obsessed with ever since seeing the Kirov on tour do it here in Canada when I was 10 or so, 18 years ago, that I can endlessly read about, see various productions of, listen to, and always return to. I've noticed that even more than many other ballets people seem to often really take to one production of Beauty and hold on to it as their favorite... So I was wondering, out of the filmed versions what is your personal favorite and why? It could be the production, or the way it's filmed, or a combination, or whatever. I know for me, ideally it would be a DVD of the complete 1890 reconstruction as performed by the Marrinsky. As I said in a thread about the reconstructions it's exceedingly frustrating they haven't released a film of it--though I treasure what we do have on DVD (Act III almsot in full and some other bits). But the one I identify the most with is the 1983 filming with Irina Kolpokova and Berezhnoi for the Kirov. I grew up with the video of this, shortly after seeing the tour, and for a long time I thought it was definetly the most authentic to the original production, while also being a gorgeously designed and danced production. Now of course I realize how much Sergeyev changed, and the controversy around many fo these differences, what's official, what's not, etc. Still, while I tend to like to go back to the orgiinal, msot of his changes make sense to me in terms of this production, I think Kolpokova even at her age is a glorious Aurora, the corps is fantastic, I love how complete the ballet is especially the divertisements, and the panorama, Valisadze designs, etc. I haven't seen the other Kirov versions--I know on DVD you can get a 1989 version filmed in montreal that's probably the same tour as I saw--i've read the DVD is very dark and since it's only a bit over 2 hours I suspect it must be edited so it never appealed to me too much. I am curious about the 1960s Kirov movie version which i hear is of course edited and has some big changes (Carabosse is en pointe I believe)--are either of these worth tracking down if I have the Kolpokova? I admit I also find a lot to admire in the, it seems, much hated Grigorovich production for the Bolshoi. It's interesting how Virsaladze once again did the sgins but in a much more abstract way--still I kinda like them. It's also interesting to compare with the Kirov's--i knwo Grigorovich claimed he went badck to the Petipa in many ways, and there's some fighting about this too. the DVD production doesn't have the best dancing I've seen from the Bolshoi but it makes a nice alternative and I seem to like it more than everyone else. Otherwise I've seen several live Beauties of varying quality but on DVD only a few. I rented the 1990s Royal Ballet production with those bizarre Maria Bjornson designs and loved muchof the dancing but I really don't feel the production is right. However, as a teen I saw a ballet film with Fonteyn where they performed the full 1946 Royal Ballet Beauty Act III and liked the productiona dn Messel's designs and I've heard good things (and some mixed things) about the new DVD of the Royal Ballet production that uses these designs (I'm sorry I missed it in the movie thetares here last Summer). I just ordered the DVD and am excited to compare it. I know for many the Royal Ballet and Sleeping Beauty go together better than anything but I have to admit my biase is always for the russian style for this ballet--and small details like the jewel fairies and Hop o My Thumb in Act III, etc. But I'm curious to see this new/old production from the Royal. Link to comment
Hans Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 My answer to whether to acquire the 1989 SB with Larissa Lezhnina and the 1964 with Sizova and Soloviev is an unqualified yes. Sizova is THE Aurora, along with Kolpakova, and Lezhnina is a worthy successor. Along with Lezhnina, you also get Yulia Makhalina as the Lilac Fairy and Tatiana Terekhova as Princess Florina. The Sizova tape also has a very young Natalia Makarova as Princess Florina and, I believe, Valery Panov as the Bluebird. Natalia Dudinskaya is the Carabosse on pointe with Sizova--not a great artistic decision, but Dudinskaya pulls it off well. Link to comment
chrisk217 Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 To add to what Hans suggested: if you're going to buy the Sizova/Solovyov (and you should, both for Sizova and for Solovyov) you might want to try and find the restored version. It makes a lot of difference. It is widescreen so you see a great deal more of the dancing around the principals and there are no parts of the action happening out of frame, which makes the whole thing easier to follow. Most importantly there's almost no feet or hand cutting. My restored copy comes from tv but i've heard that a restored version was also released on dvd in Japan (?). Unfortunately the extensive cuts (more than 30') persist. Link to comment
cubanmiamiboy Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 i've heard that a restored version was also released on dvd in Japan (?). Unfortunately the extensive cuts (more than 30') persist. I have both. The second one is the one released in Japan. I boughbt it in a chinese website...chinese credits and all...! :blush: Yes, It does makes a difference. For many years this was the only Beauty reference I had, and out of few suggestions, I bought Kolpakova's. She is pretty, yes, but Sizova IS aurora, just as Hans said. The only bad thing about it i show chopped off are the PDD's-(III Act III, A/D-F/B), missing variations and codas). I had a friend edited it, and he placed Soloviev's and Sizova's variations after the Adagio. The order on the DVD is as follows-(so you don't get dissapointed) Aurora/Desire Adagio The Cats Divertissement Bluebird/Florine Adagio-(no variations/coda) Desire Variation Aurora Variation Final Tableau Link to comment
papeetepatrick Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 but Sizova IS aurora, just as Hans said. I'm glad we can all agree on something, and I hope this rare beauteous lady reads BT sometimes; because I think concensus on her Aurora is not just general, but maybe even unanimous. I love Lezhnina too, though. Link to comment
Hans Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Not to mention Fonteyn. :blush: She and Sizova are my favorites, along with Kolpakova, Platel, Lezhnina, and Ayupova. I'm told that Terekhova was an excellent Aurora as well, but I do not know if there is any video footage of her in the role. Speaking of good versions of SB--is there a complete Sleeping Beauty with the Royal Ballet and Fonteyn? Link to comment
richard53dog Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Speaking of good versions of SB--is there a complete Sleeping Beauty with the Royal Ballet and Fonteyn? Not really complete and some of the production values are on the cheesy side but there is the DVD release of the Royal Ballet AKA Sadler's Wells Sleeping Beauty on American TV from 1955. Fonteyn seems a bit nervous(it must have been pretty hectic pulling this off on live tv) but still it gives an idea of what her Aurora was like on the stage. I can't see this release being anyone's first choice of a Sleeping Beauty DVD though; I would put it more in the category of a "supplement" Link to comment
canbelto Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Surprised no one has mentioned the superb video with Cojocaru, Bonelli, and Nunez from the Royal Ballet. I rank Cojocaru's Aurora among the best, and I like the Royal Ballet production. Link to comment
EricMontreal22 Posted January 19, 2009 Author Share Posted January 19, 2009 I mentioned that I'd be getting it on DVD soon--so probably sometime this week I can report back on it ;) Link to comment
cubanmiamiboy Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Ok...I'll say it... I like the RB's with Viviana Durante. I like her very much on the role, and the sets and costumes too...including those controversial/bizarre stairs...ha! Link to comment
papeetepatrick Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Ok...I'll say it...I like the RB's with Viviana Durante. I like her very much on the role, and the sets and costumes too...including those controversial/bizarre stairs...ha! Good for you, Cristian, I admit that took courage, but not because I HATE it... ...she's one of the rose-snatchers. I don't like anything in it but the Queen, McGorian I think she is. Link to comment
cubanmiamiboy Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Ok...I'll say it...I like the RB's with Viviana Durante. I like her very much on the role, and the sets and costumes too...including those controversial/bizarre stairs...ha! Good for you, Cristian, I admit that took courage, but not because I HATE it... ...she's one of the rose-snatchers. I don't like anything in it but the Queen, McCullers I think it is. Oh, the Queen is as dramatic as she can be..running all over the place...LOVE HER TOO!! About Durante, look...there's a little detail that made me start watching her RA more and more. She actually AKNOWLEDGES every suitor after each hand offering, giving them a brief look AND A SMILE after they' let her go. Many Auroras just keep looking down the whole time, I guess because of the balance issues. It looks to me as a polite "Thank you, but no thank you". Link to comment
papeetepatrick Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Oh, the Queen is as dramatic as she can be..running all over the place...LOVE HER TOO!! I know...Ms. McGorian is so worldly, like a Park Avenue Socialite who gives charity balls and says things like 'I just think the ballet is perfectly lovely.' Actually, I liked the strange spaceship-thing set when I first saw it, but the innocence in the old Royal Couple on the Kirov movie (and that Queen actually shows real grief when Aurora falls, not just this 'well, I obviously can't do anything about it...' that some of them have) knocked all that moneyed dynamism out of me. Link to comment
EricMontreal22 Posted January 20, 2009 Author Share Posted January 20, 2009 Maria Bjornson is an awesome designer--being a big musical theatre fan I of course know her work from Phantom of the Opera (her sets and costumes are probably the best element of that show), Sondheim's Follies, Aspects of Love and some of her opera work--and have loved *every single one* of those designs. I'm not sure if Sleeping Beauty was her first ballet--and she sadly passed away soon after--but... In theory as designs I like them very much, but when I see them on stage (or on my TV screen) they just seem so wrong with the music to me, and what I dislike more than the forced perspective is just how dark and kinda gloomy they are. Maybe Bjornson never quite "got" ballet--her opera and theatre designs are often in many layers whereas for ballet you have to keep the stage basically empty, that could have hindered her. Durante dances *awesomely* too, and while he's maybe a bit too tall to partner her I'm not sure I've ever seen a Prince as handsome as Zoltan Solymosi But I just can't really warm to it as a whole. Still at least they tried for something interesting--I like it more than what I've seen of Peter Wright's 70s version (where the approach seemed to be to make it a "simple boy meets girl story") I saw the Sleeping Beauty Kirov *movie* from the 60s a long time ago on a non widescreen video tape. I remember being disappointed because of how cut up it was and I foudn the scenery really odd (especially since the Kirov had the more attreactive staging we all know already in their repertoire) but the dancing is indeed magnificent and maybe I shoul dpick it up for that. Is the 1989 Kirov DVD--which is now out of print and was filmed in Montreal--as edited as it sounds? Amaazon says it's just slightly over 2 hours--and that the lighting is very dark. Link to comment
Hans Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Is the 1989 DVD the one with Asylmuratova or Lezhnina? As far as I know, the Lezhnina is the one that was filmed in Montréal. I don't remember it being dark at all, nor do I recall it being edited, but maybe I need to watch it again. The video with Asylmuratova is very dark. Link to comment
EricMontreal22 Posted January 20, 2009 Author Share Posted January 20, 2009 It's the Lezhnina. I actually wasn't aware there was another Kirov Beauty on DVD--amazon only lists the Kolpokova/Berezhnoi 1983 staging (which I love) and the 1989 Montreal filming which is out of print. Also, I found a video tape listing of the 1989 one and it lists it as MUCH longer than Amazon (which claims it's just over 2 hours) so that may be a mix up I remember there being on videotape--or at least on tv a 1970s version with Kolopokova as well, but I don't think this made it to DVD. Thanks for your help! Link to comment
Hans Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 The Asylmuratova tape may only be available on VHS. I would love to get my hands on the 1968 Kolpakova Beauty! The case of the Lezhnina SB DVD says it is so it is a little over 2 hours. Link to comment
rg Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 here's what the NYPL dance coll. says of this SLEEPING BEAUTY: The sleeping beauty/ presented by the Kirov Ballet ; choreography by Marius Petipa, [staged by Konstantin Sergeyev] ; music by Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky. Kultur, [199-?] (157 min.) : sd., col. Running time on wrapper: 160 min. Danced by Altynai Asylmuratova (Princess Aurora), Konstantin Zaklinsky (Prince Florimund), and the Kirov Ballet. Videotaped in performance at the Maryinsky Theater, St. Petersburg, Russia.* *i think this is incorrect and that this perf. (on videocassette) was filmed at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. i must locate my cassette and double-check. Link to comment
Hans Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 The cassette cover of my copy says it was filmed at the Mariinsky Theater. I was surprised to see that because this performance does not make use of the MT stage's trap doors for the Lilac Fairy and miniature 'vision' of Aurora conjured up by Carabosse in the Prologue, as the Kolpakova DVD does. Link to comment
EricMontreal22 Posted January 21, 2009 Author Share Posted January 21, 2009 I wasn't even aware of this performance--how does it compare to the Kolpokova? it's about the same length (which means the one you mention being a little over two hours must be edited--I know the panorama is pretty much alwasy dropped on tour but that's only about 4 minutes). It's a bit frustrating that for a while the Kirov seemed very keen on taping their Sleeping Beauty but of course we didn't get anything of their reconstruction... Link to comment
rg Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 i think i realized the Asylmuratova BEAUTY was filmed at the Bolshoi by the theater's curtain. but i haven't yet put my hands on my tape. Link to comment
Hans Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Ah, you're right. The curtain is gold, not blue. Link to comment
Marc Haegeman Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 i think i realized the Asylmuratova BEAUTY was filmed at the Bolshoi by the theater's curtain. but i haven't yet put my hands on my tape. Yes, it was filmed on tour at the Bolshoi. Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Surprised no one has mentioned the superb video with Cojocaru, Bonelli, and Nunez from the Royal Ballet. I rank Cojocaru's Aurora among the best, and I like the Royal Ballet production. Since the Fonteyn and Sizova videos are highly abbreviated, I would recommend the Cojocaru/Bonelli performance. I don't actually hate the Dowell version, and in many respects I think the dancing of the corps is superior to the later video, but Durante leaves me stone cold, and I find Solymosi's performance grotesque--a caricature of the ballet prince. I have no complaints whatsoever about Cojocaru and Bonelli. I like Nuñez in the original Lilac Fairy sections very much, but the more I watch it, the more tedious I'm finding her non-stop triples in the prologue. Yohei Sasaki has to be one of the least exciting Bluebirds on video, but I try to ignore him and focus on Sarah Lamb instead, even if it means skipping over his solo. Still, the leads carry the day, and the production is solid, so I do think it's among the best available. Link to comment
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