Kirov Classics
List Price:
Our Price: $17.02
You Save: $12.97 (43%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $12.87 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD releases
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD Cover Information
Artist: Maryinsky BalletBrand: Kultur
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 147 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2002-07-30
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Kultur Video
Movie Reviews of Kirov Classics
Movie Review: The Divine Kirov Ballet Perfom Wonderfully
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a film of the Kirov Ballet (or by now the Mariinsky Ballet) of St. Petersburg, Russia performing some of ballets greatest 'short-form' works along with full-length ballet excerpts. This recording was done on stage without an audience, and there are a few sections where I wonder why they didnt do any takes (there are a few sections where the dancers make mistakes, and the camras keep on rolling). The dancers are the finest products of ballet training, being the emodiment of 500 years of ballet evolution. The footage recorded here has also been released as "The Maryinsky Ballet" (on another label I believe and only on VHS).
First, a perfomance of "Les Sylphides" (or "Chopanina" as it is called in Russia) choreographed by Mikhail Fokine to the music of Chopin in an orchestration by Glazunov (done circa 1907), with the divine prima Altinai Assylmuratova leading the cast with her husband Konstantin Zaklinsky. We also have Yelena Pankova perfoming the mazurka with wonderful style. Assylmuratova is one of ballets greatest artists, and her precision in the waltz is ballet at its best - in all seriousness I have never seen (and probably never shall see again) a ballerina dance this variation better. The corps is so wonderfully lyrical in the opening sequence that it might as well be some of the best work by a corps de ballet documented to film. The dancers and the music are ONE, and it almost seems as though some telepathic force is driving them.
Then a short version of the ballet "Petrushka" is next, a masterpeice from the old Ballet Russe and another work of Fokine. It is not done in the more or less traditional sense, for here we have choreography by the Kirov's then artistic director Oleg Vinogradov. He does not do a great job and over condences the multi scene, one act ballet into one short sequence. The corps looks comical running around in odd patterns. The lead dancer, Sergei Vikharev gives it his all, but it is pretty much worth fast-forwarding through this annoying inclusion. (Note- See the film "Paris Dances Diaghilev" for a far better and more authentic performance of this work).
"Barbers Adagio" is another annoyance on this film, although the leading female, Yelena Evteyeva (once a great Kirov prima) turns out to be a pretty entertaining as she does strange stuff with herself via her partner, who on the other hand is merely just a person put in to lift her in weird ways. The dancers who have been coming out of the Mariinsky these days look alot better in this number, with their long limbed hyper-flexibility.
The pas de deux from the ballet "Le Corsaire" is perfomed here by Farukh Ruzimitov and Lubov Kunakova. I have seen both of these dancers do better on film, particularly Ruzimitov, whose flamboyance is a little to much in his variation and in the Grand Coda (his tours en l'air are done with feet that barely pointed!). He has a bad habit of forgetting that there is music playing, leaving the poor conductor to have to adjust. Ruzimitov has been recorded in this peice many times - his performance with Tatiana Terekhova in the film "The Magic of the Kirov", which was recorded about 10 years before ths film was made, is the best performance I have ever seen of the "Le Corsaire Pas de Deux" on film or live - he is far more schooled in this performance (he was only 22 I believe), and his famous flamboyant dancing is pefectly balanced with his technique - an obvious sign of good coaching. Kunakova's performance is not very good (however she makes up for it in Anna Pavlova's 1903 solo from "Le Roi Candaule" in the "Paquita Grand Pas" later in the film). To make matters worse her costume a is a tack-o-rama, looking like a cross between a Shade from the ballet "La Bayadere" and a flamingo. But she is nonetheless charming.
The most entertaining sequence (next to "Paquita") in this film is the pas de trois from the ballet "The Fairy Doll" (to the music of Riccardo Drigo, and not Josef Bayer - the original composer of the full-length"The Fairy Doll"). This piece was originally created for Mathilde Kschessinskaya when she performed in Nikolai and Sergei Legat's revival of "The Fairy Doll" in 1903 at the Mariinsky Theatre. Larissa Lezhnina and her two pierrots for suitors are marvelous. It is some of the best ballet dancing I have ever seen on film, with the Petipa-esque choreography of brothers Legat. Drigo's music is absolutely beautiful and neopolitan, and clearly demonstrates what a shamefully under-rated composer he is.
Next is the Pierre Lacotte restoration of the choreography of Arthur Saint-Leon, complete with Cesare Pugni's wonderfully restored music: the pas de six from "La Vivandare" (or "Markitenka" as it is known in Russia). It is charming and in the romantic style of ballet. Elenea Pankova is a delight.
Finally, the grand pas and pas de trois from the ballet "Paquita". The choreography is credited to Petipa, of course, but has the typical Kirov stamp of Soviet-era revisions. The music of Minkus shines here, along with the usual suite of additional variations by various composers. The soloists and corps are superb, particularly Yulia Makhalina in the lead. Igor Zelensky dances the male lead, with a solo from the Leo Delibes' ballet "La Source".
All in all this film is superb, and has essential recordings in the performances of "Paquita", and "Les Sylphides" (or "Chopiniana") and also the only film of "The Fairy Doll" pas de trois. Along with the great dancing, the music of each work is well recorded and allows for great listening as well! Five stars!
I have recieved quite a few emails from people asking if I can identify the orgins of the "Paquita" variations shown on this film. I have written a review for the CD "La Bayadere and Paquita" with Boris Spassov conducting the Sofia National Opera Orchestra in which I identify all of the said variations.
Summary of Kirov Classics
KIROV CLASSICS - DVD MovieSimilar DVD Movies
Flames of ParisRelease date: 2011-01-25; DVD
Best price: $20.46
Price in other shops:
Stravinsky and the Ballets Russes: The Firebird/ Le Sacre du PrintempsRelease date: 2009-10-27; DVD
Best price: $20.61
Price in other shops:
The Children of Theatre Street - The Story of the Kirov Ballet SchoolKultur; Release date: 2004-04-13; DVD
Best price: $11.32
Price in other shops:
Tchaikovsky, Petipa - Swan Lake / Kirov Ballet, Yulia Makhalina, Igor ZelenskyKultur; Release date: 2006-07-25; DVD
Best price: $17.06
Price in other shops:
American Ballet Theatre at the Met - Mixed BillKultur; Release date: 2003-04-15; DVD
Best price: $17.67
Price in other shops:
Minkus: PaquitaRelease date: 2009-01-27; DVD
Best price: $10.65
Price in other shops:
Essential Ballet: Kirov Ballet at Covent Garden, London and Gala Performance from Red Square, MoscowUniversal; Release date: 2000-12-12; DVD
Best price: $17.92
Price in other shops:
Minkus - La Bayadere / Guerin, Hilaire, Platel, Paris BalletKultur; Release date: 2004-07-27; DVD
Best price: $17.07
Price in other shops:
The Kirov Celebrates Nijinsky / Sheherazade, La Spectre de la Rose, The Polovtsian Dances, The FirebirdKultur; Release date: 2005-02-08; DVD
Best price: $11.54
Price in other shops:
Le CorsaireKultur; Release date: 2005-04-26; DVD
Best price: $17.58
Price in other shops: