Nutcracker ballet, conducted by Victor Fedotov and featuring the Kirov Ballet and Orchestra. Stars Larissa Lezhnina, Victor Baranov and Piotr Russanov.
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Masha / The Princess
Nutcracker / The Prince
Drosselmeyer
Unknown Role
George Balanchine's jewel-themed triptych, strikingly choreographed to the music of Faure, Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky. This three act masterpiece is renowned as the world's first full-length abstract ballet. The Russian-born co-founder of the New York City Ballet, Balanchine was inspired by the artistry of jewellery designer Claude Arpels to create a trio of distinct movements revealing the essence of each precious stone. Each part also evokes three different cities: Paris, New York and St. Petersburg. 'Emeralds' was conceived as a tribute to the French romantic school, with music by Gabriel Faure. The fiery and energetic 'Rubies' taps into the rich tradition of Broadway musicals, with music by Stravinsky. 'Diamonds' honours the grandeur of Imperial Russia and the Maryinsky Theater, choreographed to the music of Tchaikovsky. With its jewel-like costumes, this is a celebration of the influences on the choreographer who was described as the father of American ballet.
Ever since its triumphant premiere in 1960, Frederick Ashton's La Fille mal gardee has been treasured as one of his happiest creations - his artistic tribute to nature, and an expression of his feelings for his beloved Suffolk countryside. Marianela Nunez and Carlos Acosta perfectly portray the young lovers Lise and Colas, determined to thwart the plans of Widow Simone to marry off her wayward daughter to Alain, the simple son of wealthy Farmer Thomas. Osbert Lancaster's colourful, picture-book designs, along with Ferdinand Herold's tuneful score, arranged by John Lanchbery, provide the perfect setting for Ashton's blissfully bucolic ballet, complete with haywain, pony, maypole and ribbons, a cockrel and his chickens and, of course, the famous clog dance, here wonderfully led by William Tuckett as the irascible but lovable Widow Simone.
The deformed Phantom who haunts the Paris Opera House causes murder and mayhem in an attempt to make the woman he loves a star.
A small-town shoemaker with a knack for spinning yarns, Hans encounters happiness and heartbreak on his road to becoming a full-fledged writer.
Clara is given an enchanted Nutcracker doll on Christmas Eve. As midnight strikes, she creeps downstairs to find a magical adventure awaiting her and her Nutcracker. The magician Drosselmeyer transforms the drawing room into a battle between mice and toy soldiers. During the battle, Clara saves the Nutcracker’s life – so breaking a magical spell that turned him from a boy to a toy – and the Mouse King is defeated. In celebration, Drosselmeyer sweeps Clara and the Nutcracker off to the Kingdom of Sweets, where they meet the Sugar Plum Fairy and take part in a wonderful display of dances. The next morning, Clara’s adventures seem to have been more than just a dream.
Manon’s brother Lescaut is offering her to the highest bidder when she meets Des Grieux and falls in love. They elope to Paris, but when Monsieur G.M. offers Manon a life of luxury as his mistress she can’t resist.
Pippi Longstocking, a superhuman girl, extremely strong, redhead with pigtails and freckles, moves to Villa Villekulla, a wooden house located in a small town, together with her monkey, Mr. Nilsson, and her horse, Little Old Man. She soon befriends the children who live next door, Tommy and Annika, with whom she will live many fun adventures. (At Finnish National Opera and Ballet, December 14, 2019.)
The young Clara creeps downstairs on Christmas Eve to play with her favourite present – a Nutcracker. But the mysterious magician Drosselmeyer is waiting to sweep her off on a magical adventure. After defeating the Mouse King, the Nutcracker and Clara travel through the Land of Snow to the Kingdom of Sweets, where the Sugar Plum Fairy treats them to a wonderful display of dances. Back home, Clara thinks she must have been dreaming – but doesn’t she recognize Drosselmeyer’s nephew?
Inspired by heroic stories of brave knights, Don Quixote of La Mancha and his faithful servant Sancho Panza set out on an adventure to meet his ideal woman, Dulcinea. Cervantes’ hero comes to life in the Bolshoi's critically acclaimed staging of this exalting performance. With panache and sparkling technique, principal dancers Ekaterina Krysanova and Semyon Chudin lead the spectacular cast of toreadors, flamenco dancers, gypsies, and dryads in virtuosic dancing that is quintessential Bolshoi. Captured live on April 10, 2016
In 1920s Vienna, a young girl receives a magical doll on Christmas Eve.
When the beautiful dancer Nikiya and the warrior Solor meet in secret, they swear eternal mutual fidelity. However, the High Brahmin, who is also in love with Nikiya, overhears them. He rushes to reveal their secret to the Rajah, who has decided that Solor will marry his beloved daughter Gamzatti. Recorded live, January 2013.
La Esmeralda is a ballet in three acts and five scenes, inspired by the novel Notre-Dame de Paris by Victor Hugo, originally choreographed by Jules Perrot to music by Cesare Pugni, with sets by William Grieve and costumes by Mme. Copère.
The story follows the destruction of a marriage through consuming jealousy, the abandonment of a child and a seemingly hopeless love. Yet, through remorse and regret – and after a statue comes miraculously to life – the ending is one of forgiveness and reconciliation. Wheeldon continues his highly successful collaboration with designer Bob Crowley and composer Joby Talbot, the team behind Alice, in one of the highlights of The Royal Ballet Season.
A truly remarkable New Year’s Eve in St Petersburg’s fabled Mariinsky Theatre, with Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky (ex-Kirov) Ballet. It was at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg that the ballet The Sleeping Beauty premiered in 1890, with a score by Tchaikovsky and choreography by Marius Petipa. This New Year’s Eve programme revolves around Act III, in which Princess Aurora is brought out of her long sleep by the prince of her dreams and marries him. In addition, prima ballerina Uliana Lopatkina dances Camille Saint-Saëns’ famous Dying Swan, first performed by Anna Pavlova. In conclusion the soloists of the Mariinsky Theatre’s Young Singers’ Academy perform the finale of Rossini’s Journey to Rheims in a joyous celebration of the coming of the New Year.
The Kirov Ballet offers its unmatched interpretation of the finest of Parisian Romantic ballets, where undying love triumphs over betrayal and death. This production offers a choreographic text and dramatic understanding dating from the ballet's first Russian performance in 1842. It also offers the rare chance to see Soviet dancers performing live in the USSR.
Marius Petipa’s exotic ballet set in legendary India is a story of love, death and vengeful judgement. Natalia Makarova’s sumptuous recreation of Petipa’s choreography, with atmospheric sets by Pier Luigi Samaritini and beautiful costumes by Yolanda Sonnabend, stars Tamara Rojo as the Bayadère (temple dancer) Nikiya, Carlos Acosta as Solor, and Marianela Nuñez as Gamzatti, whose alluring presence challenges Solor’s love for Nikiya. Live performance recorded in 2009.
Carlos Acosta's first venture directing one of ballet's 19th century classics was eagerly anticipated, as was his own starring role in the production (as Basilio), opposite the Argentinian Royal Ballet principal Marianella Nuñez (Kitri). Still built on Petipa's original choreography, Acosta's clear dramatic structure and vivid stage action gave the ‘boy gets girl despite her father’ story a more convincing air than usual, with Don Quixote's parallel obsession with Dulcinea-Kitri coherently woven into the plot.
Breathtaking sets and costumes are designed by Ezio Frigerio and Franca Squarciapino in this exceptional production, recorded at the Palais Garnier in Paris. Direction and choreography in this fully restored version of Marius Petipa's original ballet are by Rudolf Nureyev. Live performance recorded in 1994.
The Paris Opera Ballet's 1988 revised version of Rudolf Nureyev's 1963 production of The Nutcracker.
Explores Anand Dighe's life, tracing his political journey and capturing the essence of his impactful legacy as a prominent figure.
Lonely city dweller Guy, is struggling to find his ideal partner. In a trip to the beach suggested by his roommate, he may have found his ideal match with the free spirited Roxie. 'Lonesome' is an ode to classic cinema, New Wave cinema, and an ode to silent film.
A high school teenager named Ibo has a dream of becoming a professional soccer player. However, Ibo's dream of becoming a professional footballer did not find support from his parents.
An animated road-movie set across the vast and barren landscape of Australia's Nullarbor Plain.
As Japan gears up for the 1964 Olympic games, the cops start to crack down on the gangs, under pressure from the public and the press, adding a new dimension in the war for power among the yakuza families of Hiroshima.
A short directed by Marcel Wohlfahrt.
A warm-hearted and biting romance about the impossible love between a Danish woman and a Turkish man
Director: Karlo Montero (as Carlo Montero) Writer: Jigs Recto (screenplay) Stars: Norris John, Sofia Lee, Winston De Dios
25-year-old Michael has been released from prison after a five-year sentence. He moves into a big apartment block, filled with young women who gladly have sex with him.
A hitman is tasked to take out ex-mobsters when he suddenly hears a voice that questions his morality.
The film delicately follows 25-year-old Anna, whose mother has died suddenly. She wants to send her Orthodox mother on her last journey according to customs, but she runs into bureaucratic rules that do not allow Anna to dress her departed mother herself. This conflict brings her together with Maria, a 45-year-old funeral home worker, who in this story represents the hidden fears of death and grief on a deep emotional level.
Özgür Turhan's stand up