When it comes to Tchaikovsky's ballets all three- Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker- are among the best of the ballet genre, Tchaikovsky's music is just gorgeous in all three and the stories are timeless and accessible to children. It is difficult to decide which of the three I like most, they are so wonderful, if a choice did have to be made personal favourite is Nutcracker and best is Swan Lake, again a very difficult choice. This Bolshoi Sleeping Beauty is very good and among the better end in the DVD competition, personal first choice though is between the 2001 Aurelie Dupont production from Paris and the Alina Cojocaru production from Royal Ballet.
It's not without its imperfections though. The Panorama felt very rushed and truncated, a little disappointing because melodically and choreographically it is one of the best moments of the ballet. And three performances weren't quite there either, Carabosse- though she(done by a male dancer though) did have an effective entrance and moments of great evil energy- was far too pantomimic and not sinister enough on the whole, the king is a very limp actor and Maria Allesh dances beautifully but as the Lilac Fairy is far too cold and stern, she doesn't even crack a smile.
So much compensates. The production looks beautiful, one of the more opulent productions of Sleeping Beauty on DVD actually. The backdrop in the Prologue absolutely glitters, and the lighting is sympathetic and atmosphere-enhancing. The costumes are equally sumptuous, excepting those of Carabosse and her henchmen. And technically, it's also one of the best on DVD, the video directing is sensitive yet allows us to enjoy every movement while the picture quality is as clear as crystal. The high-point camera angles were quite clever too, there are choreographic and floor patterns that we can really admire from that angle. The sound is incredibly crisp too, again one of the best recorded DVD productions of Sleeping Beauty.
Musically, the production is outstanding. The orchestra show style, humour, passion, thrilling intensity and pathos and are fully capable of conveying tenderness and bite, and in their own distinctive way. The conducting keeps things moving while also bringing out the drama of the score and accommodating the dancers. The choreography dazzles, and the staging is compelling(much more though could have been done with Carabosse). The opening of Act 2 is amusingly charming, and we are treated also to the loveliness of the Bluebird and Princess Florine sequence, the hilarity of that of Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, the almost seductive and amusing White Cat and Puss in Boots dance(the music to that was a major reason this said to why the enticing to the spinning wheel scene in the Disney film creeped me out) and the lovingly tender Cinderella and Prince Fortune sequence.
Rose Adagio captivates too, choreographically one of, perhaps the, hardest dance of the whole ballet, but it is made to look easy thanks to the dancing. And Apotheosis is a rousing end to the performance. The Corps-De-Ballet are spot on in technical precision and characterisation, particularly striking in the Waltz. And the production is worth it for the enchanting Aurora of Svetlana Zakharova alone, her technique is without fault, she is a graceful figure on stage and is an expressive actress. David Hahlberg is a dashing and sympathetic Prince, and dances powerfully and with athleticism and stamina. The fairytale variations are beautifully and characterfully danced, a big shout out to Artem Ovcharenko and Nina Kaptsova in the Bluebird and Princess Florine sequence, while there is no fault to be had with the sadly uncredited dancers in the Red Riding Hood/Wolf, White Cat/Puss in Boots and Cinderella/Prince Fortune.
Overall, opulent, enchanting and fun. Could have been a little better, but a highly recommended performance in almost all respects. 8/10 Bethany Cox
It's not without its imperfections though. The Panorama felt very rushed and truncated, a little disappointing because melodically and choreographically it is one of the best moments of the ballet. And three performances weren't quite there either, Carabosse- though she(done by a male dancer though) did have an effective entrance and moments of great evil energy- was far too pantomimic and not sinister enough on the whole, the king is a very limp actor and Maria Allesh dances beautifully but as the Lilac Fairy is far too cold and stern, she doesn't even crack a smile.
So much compensates. The production looks beautiful, one of the more opulent productions of Sleeping Beauty on DVD actually. The backdrop in the Prologue absolutely glitters, and the lighting is sympathetic and atmosphere-enhancing. The costumes are equally sumptuous, excepting those of Carabosse and her henchmen. And technically, it's also one of the best on DVD, the video directing is sensitive yet allows us to enjoy every movement while the picture quality is as clear as crystal. The high-point camera angles were quite clever too, there are choreographic and floor patterns that we can really admire from that angle. The sound is incredibly crisp too, again one of the best recorded DVD productions of Sleeping Beauty.
Musically, the production is outstanding. The orchestra show style, humour, passion, thrilling intensity and pathos and are fully capable of conveying tenderness and bite, and in their own distinctive way. The conducting keeps things moving while also bringing out the drama of the score and accommodating the dancers. The choreography dazzles, and the staging is compelling(much more though could have been done with Carabosse). The opening of Act 2 is amusingly charming, and we are treated also to the loveliness of the Bluebird and Princess Florine sequence, the hilarity of that of Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, the almost seductive and amusing White Cat and Puss in Boots dance(the music to that was a major reason this said to why the enticing to the spinning wheel scene in the Disney film creeped me out) and the lovingly tender Cinderella and Prince Fortune sequence.
Rose Adagio captivates too, choreographically one of, perhaps the, hardest dance of the whole ballet, but it is made to look easy thanks to the dancing. And Apotheosis is a rousing end to the performance. The Corps-De-Ballet are spot on in technical precision and characterisation, particularly striking in the Waltz. And the production is worth it for the enchanting Aurora of Svetlana Zakharova alone, her technique is without fault, she is a graceful figure on stage and is an expressive actress. David Hahlberg is a dashing and sympathetic Prince, and dances powerfully and with athleticism and stamina. The fairytale variations are beautifully and characterfully danced, a big shout out to Artem Ovcharenko and Nina Kaptsova in the Bluebird and Princess Florine sequence, while there is no fault to be had with the sadly uncredited dancers in the Red Riding Hood/Wolf, White Cat/Puss in Boots and Cinderella/Prince Fortune.
Overall, opulent, enchanting and fun. Could have been a little better, but a highly recommended performance in almost all respects. 8/10 Bethany Cox
