La Bayadere [VHS]

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VHS Movie Reviews of La Bayadere [VHS]

Movie Review: Bussell steals the show
Summary: 4 Stars

Bussell on the other hand is just beautiful in the second ballerina role of Gamzatti. Her jumps are magnificent and although she is not known for her acting, her regal turn as the Princess here is very effective.

The sets are beautiful and the staging effective. However, the quality of the video is not the highest you will ever see but it is satisfactory to say the least.

Movie Review: A Nice Blend of Grace and Athleticism
Summary: 4 Stars

In my video collection, I have more titles from The Kirov Ballet than any other ballet company. However, I have seen enough of the Royal Ballet to make a general observation and comparison: it is my honest impression that the Kirov corps work is superior. There are times when the Royal Ballet's corps members do not seem totally in sync with one other. I never have this complaint with any of my Kirov titles. One of the compelling reasons to buy this video is for the famous "Kingdom of the Shades" scene in Act II, where the corps is featured very prominently. I am mildly disappointed with this aspect of the performance by the Royal Ballet's corps.

The music was written by Ludwig Minkus, and I think that some criticism of the score is merited. In the book "101 Stories of the Great Ballets" by George Balanchine and Francis Mason, there is an interesting excerpt of a critical review written by Arlene Croce of "The New Yorker" of Natalia Markarova's earlier production of "La Bayadere" with American Ballet Theatre. In this review, Croce refers to Minkus' music (the part in Act II that comes immediately after the famous "Kingdom of the Shades" adagio entrance) as being "a collection of beer-garden tunes." I think that there is a lot of truth to that observation. For instance, after the beautiful adagio entrance, Minkus goes immediately into an oom-pah-pah style waltz that seems more fitted for a German brass band than for an orchestra. If you will remember, Minkus also wrote the music for "Don Quixote," and this criticism seems even more strikingly true of that particular score. In considering Minkus' work as a whole, I think that he would best be described as a second-rate composer when compared to other famous ballet composers, such as Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev. Let me be clear, however, that I have no complaints with the orchestra's performance of the music.

The libretto is also important when considering the merits of a ballet. By comparison, "Swan Lake," "Giselle," and "Romeo and Juliet" all have a more compelling story to tell. If you don't already have a good copy of these other ballets, then you might want to consider picking up one of them first. But after all, this story does seem pretty good in comparison to "Don Quixote" or "Triad"! Parents considering this video for a child may also want to know that there is an adult theme involved in this ballet. Also, the scenery, the costumes, the lighting and the camera work are all quality.

I have tried to be as objective as possible about the merits of this ballet. Despite the great dancing from the principal stars, I feel that some slight reduction is deserved for the Royal Ballet's corps work, the score and the story. Therefore, I would rate this title as a four-star production. Despite these minor criticisms, I very much value having this video as a part of my collection. Asylmuratova really makes this video work for me! I was impressed by her dancing in the Kirov's version of "The Sleeping Beauty," but after seeing this performance, I now consider myself a fan of hers. She really is exquisite! Why don't you pick up a copy and enjoy her dancing for yourself?

Movie Review: A very beautiful production
Summary: 4 Stars

Movie Review: La Bayadere
Summary: 5 Stars

Movie Review: Royal Ballet = Simplicity At It's Finest
Summary: 5 Stars

Classical Music CDs

• Genres > Musicals & Performing Arts > Ballet & Dance