Cheap Swan Lake (Bolshoi Ballet) (Video) Price

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Customer Reviews of Swan Lake (Bolshoi Ballet)

Just a few words that sum up the utterly amazing talent of Maya Plisetskaya, who, I feel, must be the greatest ballerina of all time. I hardly know where to properly begin, in singing her virtues...so, for now, I'll just talk a bit about this recording of Swan Lake.

Despite its being rather dated - well, okay, extremely dated - the work itself is timeless, and the performances of the Bolshoi are of such a high level that it really doesn't matter much. From the astounding virtuosity of the Court Jester, to the loving partnership of Odette and Siegfried, there is nothing overlooked. the sets and costumes are wonderful, and the backstage scenes are a nice touch. But enough - on to Plisetskaya.

Her Odette sings of vulnerability, trust and pure love - her Odile is the most evil I have ever seen. Her acting capabilities are shown to full effect here, as are her astounding talents as a Prima Ballerina Assoluta. The breathtaking speed with which she moves through the famous 32 fouettes is enough to convert anyone to her crowd of enthusiasts. Although Plisetskaya is often argued against as not being the most technically proficient of ballerinas, her radiance and "fire within" is more than enough to compensate. I cannot possibly imagine what it must have been like to have seen her live, onstage.

I would strongly recommend this film to anyone interested in ballet - it is a truly historic film, capturing a most important moment in dance. Watch and be thrilled.

If you love ballet dancing at its best, buy this video
Everything bad you can say about a ballet performance is almost true in this video. Awful color and sound, many murderous fast tempi taken by conductor Yuri Faier (especially the Spanish dance of the Third Act), terrible cuts and editing (they trimmed half of the music and dancing), and so on and so forth. Did I care? Not at all! Maya Plisetskaya is mesmerizing. She is unable to do anything less than perfect. Her arms and hands are a dream, her stage personality will remain unforgettable in your memory. Her dance technique is impeccable, fitting every nuance to the music. All other performers are excellent, too. The Price (played by N. Fadeyechev) and the Evil Spirit (V. Levashev) are simply magnificent. The role of the court Jester is made unfotgettable by the highly polished performance of V. Khomyakov. I will never regret having bought this video.

Historically Significant and a Sentimental Favorite
Question: This performance was recorded over forty years ago, so why buy it? Answer: That's a good question. There are so many different productions of "Swan Lake" available that you have to spend some time reading all of the reviews in order to make an informed purchase. This video was recorded at a live performance of the Bolshoi Ballet in 1957, so the sound and video quality are not state of the art. As is mentioned in a previous review, the sound isn't synchronized with the dancing for some of the third act divertissements, plus there's a color shift during the climax of the third act. Perhaps there's a certain class of customers who are better served by a contemporary recording with a crystal-clear picture and hi-tech sound. But that's not an all-important consideration for me, and out of all of my commercially-available performances of "Swan Lake," this is the performance that I watch and enjoy the most.

Question: How about the ballerina? Answer: Maya Plisetskaya (born 1925) dances the dual role of Odette/Odile, and she brings something special to each role. Plisetskaya is a "turner and a jumper," and the part of Odile is a great showcase for these talents. During the climax of the third act, Plisetskaya does a tour de force, consisting of a lot of fast pique and chaine turns en manege. In my opinion, it's a very effective substitute for the usual thirty-two fouettes. The part of Odette is an opportunity to showcase her fluid arms, and I also admire her flexible back. Maya makes the role her own, and she's very good theatrically, perhaps because her mother was an actress. Maya is probably on more excerpt tapes dancing "Swan Lake" than any other ballerina, and there's a good reason for it.

Question: What about the premier danseur? Answer: Nicolai Fadeyechev (born 1933) is the Prince. Although his technique isn't entirely perfect by today's standards, he dances with so much grace that it doesn't really matter. His third act variation is superb and has definitely stood the test of time. For example, his variation begins with a fouette cabriole with a double beat that is perfectly landed in arabesque--with no bobbles. It would be hard to find a better example on video from any era. From a theatrical standpoint, he seems to have a princely air to him, yet a genuine likability. In my video collection, I have 12 complete performances of "Swan Lake," 2 abridged versions (this being one of them), and numerous excerpts. I have yet to find another that I liked better in the role of Siegfried. Nicolai Fadeyechev is a danseur noble extraordinaire.

Question: You mentioned that this is an abridged tape. Please explain? Answer: The run time of this video is only eight-two minutes, compared to a full length production of about two hours and twenty minutes. A significant amount of cuts have been made, and some of them are a little bit rough, but the editors have done a good job at maintaining a cohesive libretto. I feel that most of the best dances and the best music are included here. If your video collection doesn't already include a complete "Swan Lake," then this particular production may not be appropriate for you at this time, but this abridged tape can be a great choice for people with busy schedules.

Question: What else sticks out about this production? Answer: There's a lot of interesting camera work in this performance. There are a number of camera shots from directly behind the dancers, and it gives you a feel for how it is to be one of the corps members on stage. There are other interesting camera shots from up above and from floor level. This is a very knowledgeable crowd, and they clap at all the right times, such as when the ballerina appears and when the dancers perform technically difficult feats. I'm particularly impressed by how they clap when the Prince rips off the wing of the Evil Spirit, as I've never seen any other audience do that. It shows that they are paying attention to the story, in addition to the dancing. A few of the audience members are rewarded by camera shots showing their reactions to the dancing.

Question: Do you recommend this tape? Answer: This video is appropriate for anyone desiring to own a historical "Swan Lake" or for anyone looking for a abridged version that can be watched more quickly. I really enjoy Plisetskaya's dancing, and I like her fluid arms. Fadeyechev dances with exceeding ballon. The two principal dancers are good theatrically, and so are the character dancers. The corps dancing is nice, but it's a notch below current Bolshoi standards for excellence and precision. In comparison to other orchestras, the Bolshoi orchestra tends to prefer quicker tempos for the fast numbers, and this often results in bolder dancing, with more flair. Some productions of "Swan Lake" end happily, others tragically. I generally prefer the tragic ending, but this seems to be one of the best happy endings. The two principal dancers really engage my interest, and I find myself cheering for them to prevail. Both are heroic. At the end of the ballet, the crowd gives them a well-deserved standing ovation. I have watched this tape many times since purchasing it, and it has indeed become one of my favorites.