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Can you advise me some DVDs of classical repertoire ballets?


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8 hours ago, cubanmiamiboy said:

I did, Charlie. I was thinking of their Swan Lake while writing about Berlin's Nut. I didn't know it was commercially released! I own a good bootleg but it's time to change then. Thanks for the update!🤗

You’re welcome! Since Berlin Staatsballett is pretty good about filming and/or streaming new productions of classics, I’m really hoping that they’ll do the same with the upcoming Ratmansky Bayadere within a year or so of its Nov 4 premiere, which I still plan to attend. 

German companies receiving substantial taxpayers’ funding do a good job of showing their new productions to citizens via TV or streaming. Munich, for example, seems to stream every new production, such as the recent Macgregor evening. The Ratmansky Paquita was shown on TV or streamed not long after its premiere in Munich. 

Edited by CharlieH
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On 7/9/2018 at 6:33 AM, CharlieH said:

La Sylphide - the older (late 1980s) version, before the current director tinkered with it. Nab a copy of this original Bournonville version before it no longer exists. This is an absolute gem. Lis Jeppesen will always be my perfect Sylph. 

https://www.amazon.com/Sylphide-Jeppesen-Sorella-Englund-Danish/dp/B000EGDBKG

 

Another must-have DVD of a quickly-disappearing Bournonville treasure is Napoli. I thought that this was no longer available because the inferior Hubbe version (1950s Felliniesque setting) is also out on DVD. This traditional one is the real treasure:

https://www.amazon.com/Napoli-Royal-Danish-Ballet/dp/B000FIHFEG

 

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Interesting that some recommend outstanding productions and others outstanding casts.  Sadly I know the two don't always coincide. 

There is an even earlier La Sylphide with Lucette Aldous, Flemming Flindt and Ballet Rambert.  Personally I find it lovely but some might baulk at black and white.  For a great performance catch the Bolshoi Raymonda with Gediminas Taranda's mesmerizing villain.

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3 hours ago, Mashinka said:

Interesting that some recommend outstanding productions and others outstanding casts.  Sadly I know the two don't always coincide. 

For me a good recording of Swan Lake has been as elusive as the Holy Grail. (The same holds true in the opera house.) Good production, poor cast; good cast, horrible production; good leads, weak corps or vice versa; good classical sections, terrible national dances; good national dances, awful conducting; unforgivable musical cuts, absurd musical insertions... Excised mime, nasty accretions, unflattering costumes, hideous designs. The list of things that can and do go wrong is endless, as a result of which I probably own more than a dozen Swan Lake DVDs, but would have difficulty recommending any of them unreservedly.

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On 7/14/2018 at 10:53 AM, ABT Fan said:

I'd recommend the Makarova/Dowell Swan Lake with the Royal Ballet. Makarova is the opitome of O/O (especially her Odile). I nearly wore out my VHS tape of this production when I was a young ballet student. 

I second that enthusiastically.  I also like the Makarova/Nagy earlier performance although Nagy is danced out by this point.

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On 7/9/2018 at 4:14 PM, Mariangela said:

Thanks to everyone for your answers! They were very helpful for me :) Now I have new questions: First; I have seen on Youtube some videos of Aurelie Dupont in the Sleeping Beauty and I liked much. In your opinion, is it worth to buy the DVD? What do you think of her interpretation of Aurora? Second; do you think is it worth to buy the DVDs box set The Art of Svetlana Zakharova at the Bolshoi? There are 4 DVDs of her performances in Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, La Bayadère and The Pharaoh's Daughter.  Thanks again :) 



 

I am not a big fan of Zahkarova. 

A perfectly wonderful DVD of Giselle:  Dutch National Ballet with Anna Tsygankova and Jozef Varga. Also Igone  deJongh as Myrta.  Solo and ensemble dancing of a very high quality. I just love this production and DVD. 

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19 hours ago, KarenAG said:

I am not a big fan of Zahkarova. 

A perfectly wonderful DVD of Giselle:  Dutch National Ballet with Anna Tsygankova and Jozef Varga. Also Igone  deJongh as Myrta.  Solo and ensemble dancing of a very high quality. I just love this production and DVD. 

I also am not a great admirer of Zakharova.  I'm not even sure which DVDs exist at the moment, but I would vote for Makarova's Giselle or Swan Lake,  the Vishneva or Ferri Giselle, Lopatkina's Swan.

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