Dvd
Tchaikovsky: La Reine Morte (The Dead Queen) (Théâtre du Capitole)
Artjom Maksakov (Roi Ferrante); Maria Gutierrez (Dona Ines De Castro); Davit Galstyan (Don Pedro); Juliette Thelin (L'Infante); Takafumi Watanabe (Bouffon); Matthew Astley (Bouffon/Conseiller); Kayo Nakazato (Bouffonne/Mariée défunte); Caroline Betancourt (Bouffonne/Mariée défunte); Demian Vargas (Proche conseiller du roi);
"Set skilfully to various Tchaikovsky extracts, Kader Belarbi's ballet recreates a tragic and even bizarre episode of 14th century Portuguese history. Strikingly set and accessibly choreographed, the ballet offers a succession of striking visual images. The Toulouse company's performance, expertly captured in this recording, could hardly be bettered." (Musicweb International - Critic's choices for Pick of 2016)
Tchaikovsky: Lac after Swan Lake (Les ballets de monte carlo)
Anja Behrend (Le Cynge Blanc); April Ball (Le Cynge Noir); Stephan Bourgond (Le Prince); Alvaro Prieto (The King); Mimoza Koike (The Queen); Jeroen Verbruggen (Le Confident du Prince); Bernice Coppieters (Sa Majesté la Nuit);
"Swan Lake has never cast such a chill" (Suddeutsche Zeitung)
Tchaikovsky: Pique Dame (The Queen of Spades) (Gran Theatre del Liceu)
Misha Didyk (Hermann); Emily Magee (Liza); Lado Ataneli (Count Tomsky); Ludovic Tézier (Prince Yeletsky); Ewa Podles (Countess);
"It gives us a thoroughly traditional production from the Liceu but it works because it tells the story so compellingly and because the singing and playing is excellent from everyone...Watching this DVD reawakened me to the dramatic and musical treasures of what must surely be Tchaikovskys greatest opera (with apologies to Onegin fans). This is an ideal way to introduce the opera to someone for the first time, and a great way for established Tchaikovskians to remind themselves just how great it is." (Musicweb International)
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)