Cheap Le Corsaire / American Ballet Theatre (DVD) (Corella, De Luz, Herrera, Kent, A Corella, J De Luz) Price

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Customer Reviews of Le Corsaire / American Ballet Theatre

The Dancing. "Le Corsaire" is a full-length ballet story that centers on a beautiful slave (Medora, danced by Julie Kent) who becomes the object of desire of more than a couple of pirates (principal characters danced by Ethan Stiefel, Angel Corella, Joaquin De Luz and Vladimir Malakhov). It's a theme we're all familiar with (I dare say, perhaps in real life also), so the inbuilt intrigue is enough to keep viewers interested throughout the story. The dancing in this performance (staged in Southern California in 1999) is absolutely awesome from a technical standpoint, and there are many moments that caused me to marvel. Principal dancers Corella, Paloma Herrera and Malakhov put on truly amazing displays of athleticism, balance and fluidity. Same with Julie Kent, who still looks like my ideal ballerina in terms of beauty and grace. Even the corps shines, especially in Act III. I must admit [picky comment] I was a tad underwhelmed by Ethan Stiefel, not because of his dancing, but because he seemed to be miscast: his slight build and boyish looks just didn't convey what I expected from a pirate. This little "flaw" was not enough to detract from the performance.

The Interludes. Prior to each act there is commentary by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie and interviews (more like sound bites) with dancers and backstage personnel that are supposed to provide insight into what is portrayed as a confusing (I'm not certain why) storyline. Although it's a mildly interesting added dimension to hear the characters speak behind the scenes, much of the cast comes across as a little goofy and/or tongue-tied. I watched the first time; in the future I'll likely skip these parts.

The Visuals. I have to say that this ballet DVD showcases some of the best camera work and editing I've ever experienced for a dance performance. Edits betwen full stage and individual character views are timely and allocated perfectly. Thankfully, the common mistake (seen so often on television these days) of zooming in on a performer's face--while missing the body's attitude and movement--virtually never surfaces on this disc. There are a couple of distracting instances where the conductor's baton flicks into the bottom of the picture, and where some standing audience members obscure the dancers at curtain call time. Still, 99% of the time the camera is looking exactly where my eyes want to go, and that scores big points in watching a great performance like this.

Great American Ballet
I noticed a few reviews of ballet videos on Amazon recommending certain videos/dvds as representations of "professional" productions. In other words, certain ballet videos/dvds can and should(?) be used to show youngsters what the real world of ballet is all about. I use the question mark in my previous sentence to emphasize the uncertainty some persons might have about the idea of encouraging professional ballet dancing...however, I am writing here to assure any novice--expert ballet goer that the ABT version of Le Corsaire(1999) is as close to a great contemporary ballet experience as person can get today (on tape/dvd; of course live is the true experience). So, what does this mean? Get this video/dvd!! If you love ballet for what it should be today (i.e. virtuoso performances, grace, heartbreaking beauty, stunning costumes, aptly conducted music) then this is the end all be all of American ballet (and I contend that American ballet is the end all be all of ballet in the world today),don't miss it. This is American ballet at its best and if you are an aspiring ballet dancer or a seasoned dancer, you can't miss this! This performance has something to teach every viewer about the ultimate in professional American ballet. I chose to not address the performances of any certain dancer in this production because I don't feel personal performance comparison should be a matter for rating this video/dvd. Sure, there might be other productions that offer better performances in certain roles (although I contend here too that one is hard pressed to argue otherwise), but none the less this video/dvd is a complete package that is unparalleled in the limited ballet video/dvd market. Don't miss it!!

ABT Shines
ABT Shines in this production, Julie Kent, Ethan Stiefel, Paloma Herrara, Angel Corella, and Vladimer Malakhov are wonderful just as the rest of the cast is. The Pas De Trois in the second act is wonderful as is the rest of the ballet. I would reccomend this video to anyone who enjoys ballet or theatre.