Bolshoi Ballet [VHS]
by Leonid Lavrovsky
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Product details
Actor: Mikhail Lavrovsky, Natalia Bessmertnova, Raisa StruchkovaDirector: Leonid Lavrovsky
Edition: VHS Tape
Audio: Russian (Unknown); English (Original Language), Analog
Format: Classical, NTSC
Running Time: 81 minutes
Release Date: 1991-08-15
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Publisher: Kultur Video
Studio: Kultur Video
VHS Movie Reviews of Bolshoi Ballet [VHS]
Movie Review: Other reviews are reviewing incorrect tape
Summary: 3 Stars
Several reviews written for "The Bolshoi Ballet" are incorrectly reviewing a performance of Giselle starring Ulanova. This is not the content of this tape. This tape is a survey of several ballet excerpts, shown both in rehersal and on stage. The lighting is poor, as is the camera work. Movie Review: Priceless snapshot of Bolshoi in 1956
Summary: 5 Stars
In 1956, the Bolshoi Ballet company toured the West for the first time, and they created a storm. Conspicuously absent from the tour was the Bolshoi's prima ballerina, Maya Plisetskaya, whose difficult relationship with management prevented her from touring in the company until 1959. But Paul Czinner, who had already made several films of staged performances, decided to capture the Bolshoi for posterity, and what a relief that he did.
The video is broken up into two main parts. The first is a pastiche of smaller ballets, danced by the Bolshoi's rising stars. My own personal favorite is the Walpurgisnacht from Faust, danced by Raisa Struchkova. But the second half of the video is devoted to Galina Ulanova, who was named prima ballerina assoluta of the Bolshoi Ballet. (After she retired, Maya Plisetskaya was given the title.) Ulanova in many ways was an unusual dancer. She was born in St. Petersburg, and was a pupil of the famed teacher Agrippina Vaganova. For the first half of her career she danced at the Mariinsky Theatre. Stalin liked her dancing he essentially forced her to transfer to Moscow. Ulanova created the role of Juliet in Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet. Even in her youth, she was known more for her unique lyrical elegance than technical aplomb. Flashy roles, such as Kitri or Odile, were never in her repertoire. But she was unrivalled in ballets such as Les Sylphides, Romeo and Juliet, and, most famously, Giselle.
By the time Ulanova's Giselle was filmed, she was 46, and, presumably, past her technical prime. The extremely exposed developpes in Act II (Margot Fonteyn said they were the most terrifying moment for her in all of ballet) are 'handled' by a quick cutaway, but it's clear that Ulanova's developpes are no longer comfortable. I would say her Giselle was a snapshot of the past, except her Giselle is unlike the Giselles of her own day. It's a unique interpretation. Ulanova's Giselle has an artless simplicity -- she is not dance-crazed, or neurotic. Just a simple peasant girl who fell in love with the wrong man. Thus her heartbreak when she is betrayed is all the more touching.
In the second act, Ulanova is not an otherwordly weeping spirit. Her somewhat wholesome looks and chubby (for ballet standards) figure prevented her from looking otherwordly. But Ulanova's Wili Giselle also doesn't have the feverish intensity associated with the role. She is more of a gentle balm, there to save the man she loves. For this reason, many modern viewers might find her interpretation unusual. Tamara Karsavina, herself a legendary Giselle, said that Giselle should be given to a ballerina with "great elevation," presumably because of the many huge leaps and jumps of Act II. But Ulanova's jumps are quiet and understated. Overall, Ulanova's Giselle has no 'wow' moments but the sum total of her performance is greater than the parts.
There are limitations to the film. It is 'slightly abridged' but with cuts here and there, the Giselle is only about an hour long. Many of the cuts are at the most difficult parts, dance-wise, for Giselle. The "Spessivtseva solo" with the hops on pointe and the fast turns Giselle makes when she first enters as a Wili is gone, as is the beautiful first duet between Giselle and Albrecht. One supposes these cuts were made to accomodate Ulanova or in the interests of time, but it is a loss. The Albrecht, Nikolai Fadeyechev, is serviceable but not memorable. There is little passion and chemistry between the Giselle and Albrecht. Also, in order to film the performance, Czinner had to add an enormous amount of lighting to the stage, and in Act II, this becomes a real distraction, as the whole act works better when danced in a moonlit glow. Also, Ulanova is 46, and, as I said, somewhat shaky technically in the extremely exposed choreography of Act II.
I forgot to add that the film also has Ulanova's Dying Swan, the brief vignette choreographed for Anna Pavlova, but a favorite showcase for countless ballerinas. Again, Ulanova's Dying Swan accepts her death with a gentle, lyrical grace. Unlike Plisetskaya or even Pavlova, who stir and shake furiously before they fold up and die, Ulanova simply folds up serenely and dies.
In a company known for fiery athletics, Ulanova was a gentle, lyrical spirit, and this film is a tribute to this unique, unforgettable dancer.
Movie Review: One of the most exciting ballet films ever
Summary: 5 Stars
Without doubt this is one of the most exciting ballet films ever. Paul Czinner's justly famed film of the Bolshoi Ballet's historical first-ever tour to the West, at London's Royal Opera House Covent Garden in 1956, is thanks to VAI now available in DVD-format.
The main part of the programme consists of the truncated performance of "Giselle" filmed at Covent Garden with Galina Ulanova, Nikolai Fadeyechev and Rimma Karelskaya in the leads. The remainder is a divertissement of Russian goodies which, as much as "Giselle", help us to understand why the Bolshoi dancing had such an impact on western audiences back then. After the Dance of the Tatars from "The Fountain of Bakhchisarai" and the Spanish dance from "Swan Lake" features the rousing "Spring Waters" duet (danced here by Ludmilla Bogomolova and Stanislav Vlasov), the Polonaise and Cracovienne from Glinka's opera "Ivan Susanin", an irresistible "Walpurgisnacht" led by Raissa Struchkova and Alexander Lapauri, and "Dying Swan" danced by Ulanova with incomparable serenity.
Even 50 years after date this film continues to astound, whether it is Ulanova's expressive veracity, Struchkova's daredevil bravura, Karelskaya's stylish authority, the scale and cohesion of the Bolshoi corps de ballet, the zest of the caract?re dancing, or the overall theatrical eloquence of the ensemble. My only question remains how "abridged" this "Giselle" really was, and how much was actually edited for previous releases but exists somewhere in the vaults. That VAI lists a peasant pas de deux allegedly danced by Bogomolova and Evdokimov, but not appearing in the film, does sound like bad news.
Shot in colour, the 50-year old print unavoidably looks its age with the saturated brownish tint (especially in "Giselle") and many artifacts. Yet, just as the artistry of the Bolshoi dancers remains inspiring, the filming can still serve as a model of how to shoot a ballet. Many recent directors have done far worse with fake artistic close-ups of unnecessary body parts and frantic editing. Paul Czinner went straight to the essence.
Movie Review: Classic
Summary: 5 Stars
I have owned this video on VHS for many years now, and was surprised and delighted that it has been released on DVD. For any and all Ballet lovers, this is a must have for your dance library.This is The Bolshoi at its peak, The Bolshoi that was denied to the Western world until this London tour in 1956 and subsequent tours to the USA in 1959 and '62.I was fortunate in my youth to see Ulanova in 1959 at the old Metropolitan Opera House,truly a great artist, not to be forgotten! The VHS version offers 7 selections, although I noticed that the DVD offers only a total of six.
1-Dance of the Tartars from The Fountain of Bakhchiserai
2-Spanish Dance from Swan Lake
3-Polonaise and Cracovienne from Ivan Susanin
4-Walpurgisnacht from Faust (Raisa Struchkova..WOW)
5-Spring Water
6-The Dying Swan (Ulanova,another WOW)
7-Giselle (Ulanova/Fadeyechev, abridged version)
Remember, this is 1956 audio/video technology but so what,the entire program is a classic treasure.
Movie Review: The Bolshoi Ballet..Galina Ulanova
Summary: 5 Stars
Hopefully, someday, there will be another Galina Ulanova..but I don't know what it would take for that to happen. This woman's artistry knows no equal and I am only too happy to have her performance of 'Giselle' in my ballet library. Due to the story line of this historic ballet, she takes you to her own private and spiritual place of creativity.. her place of 'genius'. I never thought that I would be able to own this performance since it took place so long ago. It's one of the world's 'treasures' for me.
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