Stravinsky - The Firebird & Les Noces / Royal Ballet
by Ross MacGibbon
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: David Drew, Genesia Rosato, Jonathan Cope, Leanne Benjamin, The Royal BalletDirector: Ross MacGibbon
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown)
Format: Classical, Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 108 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2002-10-22
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: BBC / Opus Arte
Movie Reviews of Stravinsky - The Firebird & Les Noces / Royal Ballet
Movie Review: feast and famine
Summary: 3 Stars
i had mixed feelings about this particular dvd that i am sure will "ruffle the feathers" of stravinsky and modern ballet fans. i found the first feature "the firebird" a feast for the eyes. the story here is your standard type fantasy/fairy tale. you can lump it in with say the nutcracker or maybe sleeping beauty. leann benjamin and jonathan cope turn in marvelous performances here. i found mikhail fokines choreography, while consistent to the story line, interesting enough, though maybe not quite my cup of tea. stravinskys score is familiar and likable enough but again not really my cup of tea. the second feature, "les noces" was absolutely horrid. i hated everything about this "ahem" ballet. the choreography by "the legendary nijinska", is typically (roll your eyes) modern. just endless jumping up and down, running back and forth, stiff movements, the body fighting against itself trying desperately not to exude gracefulness. banal, really. if their are any purely balletic moments they are completely overshadowed by the corps de regimen and their unison hop. the music though is what i think really killed it for me. its shrill and annoying, sounding more to me like the soundtrack to the exorcist. it pierces the silence with shrieking and yelling operatic voices over percussive crashes and symphonic chaos, indeed this is like the "death metal" of classical music. this music would be mucho more at home in say a "batman" flick. now mind you, this is supposed to be a wedding. you know, a time for joy and excitement? the musical score here is anything but. the dancers movement anything but. why these miserable faces? the blank stares? the pervasiveness of doom and gloom is way thick here. some may see expressions of joy. i sense foreboding and an underlying resentment. depressing to watch and listen to. on the technical side, the production is excellent. picture quality is crisp and clear. the color reproduction for the firebird is vibrant and pleasing to the eye. id say the same for les noces but even here the costumes and set(?) were as bland and colorless as could possibly be. both features offer excellent editing. the audio is high quality for those of you who would torture their neighbors and/or loved ones at strange hours with the music of les noces. (i know, i know, im rubbing it in.) in conclusion, i am not especially pleased with this purchase, however, i have heard it said that good art is supposed to make you feel something. and sitting thru les noces induced a repulsiveness in me that i do not normally associate with the fine art of ballet. so maybe it has achieved what the authors set out to do and i have just witnessed a masterpiece.
Summary of Stravinsky - The Firebird & Les Noces / Royal Ballet
The Royal Ballet's glorious Stravinsky Double Bill unleashes the spectacular production of "The Firebird" with the stark beauty of "Les Noces," magically choreographed by the legendary Nijinska. The all-star cast includes Zenaida Yanowsky and David Pickering as the Bride and Bridegroom in "Les Noces," Leanne Benjamin as The Firebird, Jonathan Cope as Ivan Tsarevich, Genesia Rosato as The Beautiful Tsarevna and as The Immortal Kostchei, David Drew, who recalls in an absorbing interview his role in Nijinska's original production of "Les Noces." As an added bonus, this unmissable DVD also includes exclusive behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage of the two ballets.Art House & International DVD Video
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