Blu-ray
Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake (Ballet de L’Opéra National de Paris)
Agnès Letestu (Odette); José Martinez (Prince Siegfried); Karl Paquette (Wolfgang / Rothbart);
"This Parisian Swan Lake offers the reworked choreography which Nureyev devised for his 1984 production of the ballet and which has remained a favoured recital ever since ... Readers used to traditional views of the ballet should see this gripping newcomer." (The Penguin Guide)
Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake (The Royal Ballet)
Marianela Nuñez (Odette); Thiago Soares (Prince Siegfried); Christopher Saunders (Rothbart);
"Anthony Dowells production...offers the ultimate classical experience, with the sights and sounds of a proud 19th century tradition running at full throttle. Fancy a romantic tragedy in a tutu? Then this is the ballet for you...The production as a whole is beautifully formed and dramatically convincing...And praise, too, for the corps, who made us feel the sorrow and anger of the swans collective misfortune." (The Times)
Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake (The Royal Ballet)
Natalia Osipova (Odette/Odile); Matthew Golding (Prince Siegfried); Elizabeth McGorian (The Princess); Gary Avis (An Evil Spirit); Alastair Marriott (The Tutor); Valeri Hristov (Benno); Pas de Trois (Act I) (Francesca Hayward; Yuhui Choe; Alexander Campbell); Cygnets (Act II) (Francesca Hayward; Meaghan Grace Hinkis; Emma Maguire; Yasmine Naghdi);
"Osipova was riveting throughout... [Golding] demonstrates real brilliance and prowess." (The New York Times)
Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake (The Royal Ballet)
Marianela Nuñez (Odette / Odile); Vadim Muntagirov (Prince Siegfried); Elizabeth McGorian (The Queen); Bennet Gartside (Von Rothbart); Alexander Campbell (Benno); Akane Takada (Prince Siegfried's younger sister); Francesca Hayward (Prince Siegfried's younger sister);
"Nothing short of a triumph - Such is the good will towards the Royal Ballet’s new Swan Lake that when the curtain rises on Act III, an empty set gets a spontaneous round of applause... Choreographer Liam Scarlett may not have torn up the rule book, but his new production is nothing short of a triumph. Scarlett understands that if the narrative is to make any sense at all the focus must lie with its men. Thus the role of Siegfried is given proper psychological weight, while the sorcerer Von Rothbart also becomes a power-hungry court adviser. Petipa and Ivanov’s iconic lake scene has been left untouched, while Acts I and IV have been sensitively overhauled. It’s all offset by John Macfarlane’s glorious sets and the best-looking tutus anywhere. Leading the opening night’s magnificent cast were Marianela Núñez and Vadim Muntagirov, fast becoming the Royal’s dream partnership. While Nuñez is never less than exceptional, the evening belonged to Muntagirov, who even managed to outshine the famous 32 fouettés with a series of whip-fast pirouettes of his own." (Evening Standard ★★★★★)
Tchaikovsky: The Ballets (The Royal Ballet)
Natalia Osipova (Odette/Odile (Swan Lake)); Matthew Golding (Prince Siegfried (Swan Lake)); Lauren Cuthbertson (The Sugar Plum Fairy (The Nutcracker)); Federico Bonelli (The Prince (The Nutcracker)); Francesca Hayward (Clara (The Nutcracker)); Alexander Campbell (Hans-Peter/The Nutcracker); Marianela Nuñez (Princess Aurora (The Sleeping Beauty)); Vadim Muntagirov (Prince Florimund (The Sleeping Beauty)); Claire Calvert (Lilac Fairy (The Sleeping Beauty));
"Osipova was riveting throughout... [Golding] demonstrates real brilliance and prowess." (Swan Lake - The New York Times)
Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (The Royal Ballet)
Miyako Yoshida (The Sugar Plum Fairy); Steven McRae (The Prince); Gary Avis (Drosselmeyer); Iohna Loots (Clara); Ricardo Cervera (Nephew / Nutcracker);
"All in all a fine performance of a justified favourite is given the presentation it deserves." (Musicweb International)