Minkus - La Bayadere / Kirov Theatre

Minkus - La Bayadere / Kirov Theatre
by Vakhtang Chabukiani

Minkus - La Bayadere / Kirov Theatre
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DVD Cover Information

Actor: Komleva, Minkus, Shirokov, Terekhova
Director: Vakhtang Chabukiani
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 130 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-01-29
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: KULTUR VIDEO

Movie Reviews of Minkus - La Bayadere / Kirov Theatre

Movie Review: A common man's point of view.
Summary: 5 Stars

I only have this one copy of La Bayadere so I cannot compare it with others, as Ivy Lin is able to do. By the way, I like to read Ivy Lin's reviews for her honesty and knowledge of subject, and use her reviews to help me make purchasing decisions.

I will have to view this ballet several more times before I can say that I love the music of Ludwig Minkus. I must say that I liked the music of the act three Entrance of the Shades. By reading Ivy Lin's review I now know why I felt there was something missing from this story. That is, some sort of retribution for Nikia's murder. Prince Solor seems to be a real coward and does not deserve her continued love, even in an after life. There seems to be other versions of this ballet showing the destruction of the temple during the wedding of Solor and Gamzatti, which would be a fitting end after the treachery of Gamzatti and the Rajah.

Someone said the costumes were somewhat dowdy, but seemed quite sexy to me. Especially the female part of the Indian Dance. She was ravishing, and had more fun than anyone else. All the sets were very well done, and one must say the Russians must have the largest of everything including their theater stages and must have them filled to capacity with people (or elephants). The lighting was good even in the night scenes of the Shades, where there is proof that these ballerinas are human after all when, at the end of the dance of the Shades two or three of them including at least one of the soloists lose their balance and almost fall. I can't hold that against them, however, since I sometimes lose my balance just putting on my pants. One must remember, the young ballerina who nearly lost her balance had just done 38 exceedingly difficult arabesque movements as she descended the slopes of the Himalayan mountains, and was doing another when her knee buckled slightly. I forgive her, but I wonder if her boss did?

I'm glad I bought this ballet and will probably buy other versions.

Summary of Minkus - La Bayadere / Kirov Theatre

Here is La Bayadere (The Temple Dancer) a ballet in three acts performed by the company that first brought it to the West. Filmed at the Kirov Theater (on the stage where it was premiered in 1877), La Bayadere stars Gabriella Komleva as the pathetic temple dancer, Nikia; Tatiana Terekhova as Gamzatti, the Rajah s daughter, and Rejen Abdyev as Prince Solor.

Based on an ancient Indian poem, the ballet concerns the love between Nikia and Solor. Solor, unfortunately, is obliged to wed Ganeatti, who murders her rival by sending a basket of flowers hiding a poisonous snake. After Nikia s death, the inconsolable Solor envisions Nikia inviting him to join her in the Kingdom of the Shades. In their final dance together, they manage to find a measure of happiness among the phantoms of other maidens who have died of unrequited love.

A piece of history, and a work of art, La Bayadere is quite simply a gem to be savored again and again.

CAST:
Gabriella Komleva ............ Nikia
Rejen Abdyev ................... Solor
Gennadii Selyutsky ............ Chief Brahmin
Yuri Potemkin .................. The Rajah
Tatiana Terekhova ............. Gamzatti
and the Company of the Kirov Ballet
Choreography: Vakhtang Chabukiani and Vladimir Ponomarev after Marius Petipa
Music: Ludwig Minkus Conductor: Victor Shirokov

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