The ballet “Nureyev,” choreographed by Yuri Possokhov and composed by Ilya Demutsky, premiered in December 2017 at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. This production, staged by Kirill Serebrennikov, combines ballet, opera, and drama to honor Rudolf Nureyev, a pivotal figure in 20th-century dance known for his artistic genius and defiance of social and political constraints. The narrative is set against the backdrop of a lavish auction of Nureyev’s possessions and explores significant moments in his life, including his career in the Soviet Union, his dramatic defection to the West, and his influence on Western ballet. The story also addresses Nureyev’s relationships and his open expression of homosexuality. Possokhov’s choreography features a rich blend of classical and contemporary styles, requiring exceptional skill from the dancers. Despite its acclaim, the ballet was recently removed from the Bolshoi’s repertoire due to Russia’s tightened LGBTQ laws. The Staatsballett Berlin’s staging offers a unique opportunity to celebrate the legacy of an artist who epitomized freedom and self-expression in the arts. “Absolutely sensational” (Die Zeit)
John Cranko’s Onegin
John Cranko’s mastery of the art of the pas de deux finds its climax in Onegin, one of the most successful full length ballets of the 20th century. Set to sweeping music by Tchaikovsky, it tells Alexander Pushkin’s tragic love story of the world-weary aristocrat Onegin and the naïve country girl Tatiana in a superbly nuanced way. This very first recording of Cranko’s legendary ballet features world stars Alicia Amatriain and Friedemann Vogel. A must for all lovers of dramatic – and romantic – ballets!
The Nutcracker
Because of Tchaikovsky’s imaginative music, “The Nutcracker“ is one of the most popular works of the ballet repertoire, instantly bringing to mind scenes of a splendidly decorated Christmas room, dancing snowflakes and the waltz of the flowers. The plot of “The Nutcracker“ is based on a novella by E.T.A. Hoffmann. While the masterful fairytale virtuously jumps back and forth from a dream to reality, in its adaptation as a ballet libretto by Alexandre Dumas and Marius Petipa, it lost much of its dark romantic fantasy. Christian Spuck attempts to distance himself from the Dumas/Petipas version in his choreography and puts the literary origin at the heart of his ballet, emphasizing the fantastical nature of the original rather than the delightful Christmas fairytale and bringing back the fairytale of the princess Pirlipat, who turns into a nut monster, as told by E.T.A. Hoffmann. In Rufus Didwiszus’ stage setting, the workshop of the godfather Drosselmeier turns into an old revue-theater, where the characters of the ballet come to life. Spuck’s choreography plays with the richness of characters in Hoffmann’s narrative cosmos, the absurdity and overwrought humor that inhabit them while at the same time looking down into the dark abyss of Romanticism.
Le Corsaire
Magnificent scenic effects and dramatic choreography have ensured the popularity of Petipa’s exotic ballet Le Corsaire, a story of pirates and shipwreck, set on the Ionian coast.
This production features Altynai Asylmuratova and Faroukh Ruzimatov who give exuberant and extroverted performances.
Don Quixote
The centuries-long dialogue between Spanish folk dance and high culture stage dance reached its zenith in the ballet „Don Quixote“, which was premiered in 1869 in Moscow. For his ballet, Frenchman Marius Petipa drew inspiration from episodes in the legendary novel by Cervantes. The music was composed by Austrian Ludwig Minkus. In the East a fixture in the repertoire since its première, in the West „Don Quixote“ became part of the international repertoire only following the adaptation by Rudolf Nureyev for the Vienna State Opera. From Vienna the ballet went around the world and now returned to the opera house on the Ring after an extended absence. “A Don Quixote to love … Legris and company can count the evening a total success” (Die Presse);
Giselle
Giselle is a dramatic and timeless tale of love, deception, revenge and forgiveness, an enchanting classical ballet from the Romantic era. The ballet’s combination of dramatic acting, virtuoso technique and ethereal beauty continues to enthral audiences around the world. Dutch National Ballet’s production, by the creative partnership of Rachel Beaujean and Ricardo Bustamante, features atmospheric designs by Toer van Schayk and a captivating international cast.
Swan Lake
This classic Kirov production of Swan Lake by Artistic Director Oleg Vinogradov includes the familiar happy ending in the final act, where Siegfried fights and ultimately defeats the evil magician, von Rothbart, and at dawn is reunited with Odette.
Pulcinella
The original version of PULCINELLA was choreographed by Massine with designs by Picasso in 1920. Like the original, Richard Alston’s greatly-admired version of the complicated love-story has a Neapolitan setting and is based on traditional Commedia dell’Arte characters.
Coppélia
Coppélia is a classical ballet in the true sense, and with its touch of East European folklore, continues to enjoy worldwide popularity. It combines the romance between Swanilda and Franz with the story of the doll-maker Coppelius, whose greatest desire is to create a doll with a soul. Franz immediately falls in love with Coppélia, who he thinks is real, but eventually recognises is just a doll. He returns to Swanilda, after which the final grand divertissement sees everyone reconciled.
The Nutcracker
Never before had Rudolf Nureyev’s world-famous choreography of the “Nutcracker” been performed by the Wiener Staatsballett. The present recording presents Nureyev’s final, 1985 Paris version of the original 1967 choreography for the Royal Swedish Ballet with two magnificent young soloists and the splendid Vienna corps de ballet. With its accent on the psychological contents of the work’s underlying tale, Nureyev’s choreography is truly revolutionary. Many formerly stereotyped characters are now transformed into flesh-and-blood figures who infuse the work with wit and lightness.