Tchaikovsky: The Sleeping Beauty

Tchaikovsky is one of the few composers who has ballets, operas, symphonies, concertos for piano and violin in the repertoire of major theaters in the world. His specialty is the melody, a descendant of the Russian tradition folk vein makes it special to Western ears.Stand out in his work the 6 symphonies that reach their peak on Friday, known as the Pathetique, the operas Eugene Onegin and Queen of Spades staged today in the great houses of the lyrical world and a unique musical beauty. The delicacy of the Concerto for Violin and Orchestra and the 3 ballets, The Nutcracker Christmas ballet tradition, the Swan Lake with its catchy tune and Sleeping Beauty.Ballet immediate success showed the supremacy of Tsarist Russia in the dance. Just so that they mimicked the French culture, to speak French was fashionable in the Russian nobility of the nineteenth century, the cultural imitators surpassed the masters. But enough talk and let the video in question.Covent Garden presents us with a new production of this ballet, dated 2006. Luxury and refinement are essential in this work, let us not forget that the story takes place in court where nobles parade with all the pomp and circumstance. The London stage follows this rule, the fancy costumes and the scenery is perceptible in every detail, but without exaggeration, it is easy to create excesses that tend to geekiness. Soft pastels give charm and show the good taste of the producers. The choreography follows the Petipa produced by the small changes that give more impetus to work.The music of the ballet is simple, sweet, sometimes naive, that does not mean easy to be touched. The orchestra of Covent Garden makes the score look easy such is the dexterity with which they implement the work. The conductor Valery Ovsyanikov captures the essence of the melody of Tchaikovsky, right time and in tune with the dance.Alina Cojocaru lends ingenuity and beauty Princess Aurora, her dancing is safe, strong and delicate at the same time. Sutil in the first act, virtuous in the third, performs the difficult variations with good control. But lack the thrill of the great dancers (remember many actors of the network world) you can compare your views with Margot Fonteyn in 1955. Frederico Bonelli is a noble prince in the prime of youth, just right. The Lilac Fairy of Marianela Nuñez has technique, grace and sweetness that excited about their pirouettes.The main focus is for the Evil Fairy, Carabosse. In other versions a dancer interprets it, but who takes that role is our friend Genesia Rosato. It makes a villain the height of the Fairy of Evil, also overcomes this with their dark expressions, his stride and his cynical smile. A villain to fall in love.DVDs of the Opus Arte label are exquisite quality, image and sound quality, easy to use menu with a choice of scenes. Booklet in English, French and German (not in Portuguese). Who likes ballet and wants to have a modern version of the work I recommend the DVD. Who cares more about the dance and give up sound quality and visual recommend the version with the Kirov Irina Kolpakova, Sergei Berezhnoi. This complete and very well choreographed and danced with all the weight of the tradition of Russian ballet. Too bad for modern technology of today is a little vencida.Mas this is a topic for another DVD.PRIMEIRO BALÉ DE TCHAIKOVSKY DE SUCESSO. Tchaikovsky é um dos poucos compositores que tem balés, óperas, sinfonias, concertos para piano e para violino no repertório dos grandes teatros do mundo. Sua especialidade é a melodia, descendente da tradição russa sua veia folclórica faz dela especial aos ouvidos ocidentais. Destacam-se na sua obra as 6 sinfonias que atingem o auge na sexta, conhecida como Patética, as óperas Eugene Onegin e a Dama de Espadas encenadas até hoje nas grandes casas líricas do mundo e de uma beleza musical ímpar. A delicadeza do Concerto para Violino e Orquestra e os 3 balés, Quebra Nozes balé de tradição natalina, o Lago dos Cisnes com sua música envolvente e a Bela Adormecida. Balé de sucesso imediato mostrou a supremacia da Rússia Czarista na dança. Justamente eles que tanto imitavam a cultura francesa, falar francês era elegante na nobreza russa do século XIX , os imitadores culturais superaram os mestres. Mas chega de conversa e vamos ao vídeo em questão. O Covent Garden nos apresenta uma nova produção desse balé, datada de 2006. Luxo e requinte são imprescindíveis nessa obra, não nos esqueçamos que a história se passa na corte onde desfilam nobres com toda a pompa e circunstância. O teatro londrino segue essa regra, o capricho no cenário e figurinos é perceptível em cada detalhe, mas sem exagero, é fácil criar excessos que tendem para a cafonice. Tons pastéis leves dão charme e demonstram o bom gosto dos produtores. A coreografia segue a elaborada por Petipa com pequenas modificações que dão melhor dinâmica a obra. A música do balé é simples, adocicada ,as vezes ingênua, o que não quer dizer fácil de ser tocada. A orquestra do Covent Garden faz a partitura parecer fácil tamanha é a destreza com que executam a obra. O regente Valeriy Ovsyanikov capta a essência da melodia de Tchaikovsky ,tempos corretos e em sintonia com a dança. Alina Cojocaru empresta ingenuidade e beleza a Princesa Aurora, sua dança é segura, firme e ao mesmo tempo delicada. Sutil no primeiro ato, virtuosa no terceiro, executa as difíceis variações com bom controle. Mas falta a emoção das grandes bailarinas (lembra muitos atores da rede globo) basta compararmos sua exibição com a de Margot Fonteyn em 1955. Frederico Bonelli faz um príncipe nobre no auge da juventude, correto apenas. A Fada Lilás de Marianela Nuñez tem técnica segura, graça e doçura que empolga com suas piruetas. O principal destaque fica para a Fada do Mal, Carabosse. Em outras versões um bailarino a interpreta, mas nessa quem assume o papel é nossa amiga Genesia Rosato. Faz uma vilã a altura da Fada do Mal, aliás supera isso com suas expressões tenebrosas, seus passos largos e seu sorriso cínico. Uma vilã para se apaixonar. Os DVDs do selo Opus Arte são de qualidade primorosa, imagem e som excelentes, menu da fácil manuseio com a escolha de cenas. Encarte em inglês, francês e alemão (nunca em português) . Quem gosta de balé e quer ter uma versão moderna da obra recomendo o DVD. Quem se importa mais com a dança e abre mão da qualidade sonora e visual recomendo a versão do Kirov com Irina Kolpakova, Sergei Berezhnoi. Essa completa , muito bem dançada e coreografada e com todo o peso da tradição do balé russo. Pena que para as modernidades tecnológicas de hoje fica um pouco vencida.Mas isso é assunto para outro DVD. Ali Hassan Ayache

I own several DVDs of the Sleeping Beauty, including the one in the "Tchaikovsky Ballets" by the Royal Ballet where Ms. Nunez is the Lilac Fairy. Having seen her as Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, I knew I had to have this Blu Ray where she dances Aroura. I was not disappointed! There are not enough glowing adjectives to describe her performance. The Royal Ballet wanted to revisit their first performance after WW II, and it is a complete, stellar masterpiece. Vadim Muntagirov is a superb partner for Marianela, and his solos are outstanding. All of the featured dancers and the corps de ballet are superb, as are the sets and costumes. The orchestral sound is glorious on my stereo with 4 speakers. They bring the fantastic music of Tchaikovsky to life. Sleeping Beauty was the first ballet I ever saw. It remains one of my favorite sound recordings and I will revisit this DVD many times.

Seeing this version reminds me of what happens when you buy a new television. One set may look to have all you might want, but put it alongside others in the shop and differences appear which change your mind.My view of this work falls into the first category- to accept it for what it is as a production filmed of a company that has been performing it for a very long time and as a star vehicle for Margot Fonteyn in her heyday.Now it's Alina Cojocaru's turn and she shines in the title role of a performance which hits all the right notes in a cheerful rendition of this old favourite.This is a fairy story well told, well acted,well costumed and well danced with an excellent surround soundtrack. What is also remarkable is that two other dancers could equally have stepped into the lead role and acquitted themselves with distinction- Marianela Nunez (the Lilac Fairy) and Sarah Lamb in the Bluebird divertissement.Both were exceptionally good and Sarah Lamb gave us a brief dynamic glimpse of what she can offer in a major role.Compared to how well Cojocaru carried off the Rose Adagio (beautifully) it can only be a pleasant thought as to how Sarah Lamb would have interpreted it.Other characterisations are also convincing and well presented-Federico Bonelli is a handsome dashing Prince who partners Cojocaru seamlessly, while Genesia Rosato is a suitably manic Carabosse whose rats are a real hit- they are superb and nearly steal the show. The minor roles are carried off well and the whole production has a good look and feel to it so this is a good buy. Caveats ? A few which are of little account as no one is going to return and amend the production because of viewer's opinions, but yes the music has been interfered with (yet again) and there are cuts which irritate the knowledgeable.And again I make the point that close-ups are unnatural by showing perspiration and heaving chests which work against the illusion being created all of a piece onstage.They also tend to miss key events happening elsewhere and I for one prefer to see the whole scene as I would at a live performance.Family members who saw this at the ROH also mentioned this which reminded them of how much better the live version was (which it always is of course).In a similar way, considering how important dancers' feet are in what they do,showing only threequarter views of the body is criminal and should be a key issue in Camerawork 101.There are not many of these transgressions but one is too many for me. So should you buy it ? Well I say yes if you want an excellent example of the Royal Ballet style shown well in one of their key traditional productions- and on that basis it fits in very well with the other versions I have from the Bolshoi,POB,Kirov et al.And that is not faint praise but be ready for the differences when you make comparisons with the others and join the debate about what is the best overall version.

A fine production from the Royal Ballet. Costumes for the principal dancers are remarkable in design and especially colours. The main theme - to the conclusion of the awakening - points to a stage Director trying to cut down on time, as if to say : you know the story, we wont bother you for too long." When it was first performed, the Sleeping Beauty was about 4 hours long. The standard joke in Russia was that not only the Beauty fell asleep, but the Orchestra and the public as well. It seems that the Public capacity to watch a long show has been decreasing each generation, I did not feel I had seen Marianela Nunez perform that much, nor that I was specially impressed, compared to Svetlana Zakharova and others. The magic was not there. I leave it to someone more qualified than I to find out the reason.

コジョカルが愛らしく技術も素晴らしいです。佐々木さんのブルーバードがまた気品がありサララムとの相性もピッタリです。衣装がすっきりしてます。個人的にカツラに提灯袖が好きではないので。

If you like ballet and do not have access to live ballet from a professional company, this is a marvelous way to enjoy a classic from a world renowned company. I personally think the British excel at pageantry. This is something I intend to watch many times.

素晴らしいオーケストラ、パステルカラーで品のある舞台衣装、豪華なキャスティング、このような公演を生で見れたらどんなにいいだろう。と思うような良い公演だけど、ＤＶＤのほうが絶対楽しめる。コジョカルの愛らしい表情や充実した踊り、ヌニェスの美しいリラの精が映像として残るのは幸運だ。カラボスの演技が軽すぎて自分好みではない。もう少し不気味な強さが欲しかった。今後のロイヤルの公演に期待している。

As always, the Royal Ballet is excellent, and the Opus Arte / BBC filming extremely well done. A DVD I will watch many times over.