Search - KIROV BALLET: Classic Ballet Night on DVD

Great Classical Ballet Dancing.

Patrick G. MacKay | Houston, TX | 04/10/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This DVD is a Ballet Gala Night recorded live. For those fans of Cesare Pugni ballet music and Marius Petipa choreographies this is a great performance to see. But please be aware that the video quality is barely acceptable in six out of seven ballets (including the bonus), one of the ballets (Pas de Quatre) unfortunately is very dark.



Therefore, I give 5 stars to this DVD because of the quality of the dancing and the big ballet stars performing at this Ballet Gala; I give 5 stars to the selection of the ballets performed at this Ballet Gala; and I give 3 stars because of the very poor video quality in the "Pas de Quatre" ballet.



Therefore, if you pay $10 or less for this ballet you will be very happy, if you pay $15 or more you will be upset. I paid $9.91 and I have seen it several times, even the "Pas de Quatre" ballet because of the great prima ballerinas who dance it. Note: If you want to see the best performance of the "Pas de Quatre" ballet in DVD, buy "Nina Ananiashvili and the International All-Stars of Dance Vol. 2", this DVD is worth it every single penny I paid for it ($31.25).



List of ballets included in the Kirov Ballet: Classic Ballet Night:



-Diana and Actheon.- Tatiana Terekhova & Sergei Berezhnoi; music: C. Pugni

-Esmeralda.- Gabriela Komleva & Vitali Afanaskov; music: R. Drigo

-Flower Festival in Genzano.- Natalia Bolshakova & Vadim Gouliaev; music: E. Helsted

-The Canteen Keeper (Vivandiere).- Alla Sizova & Boris Blankov; music: C. Pugni

-The Venice Carnival (Satanella, pas de deux).- Svetlana Efrenova & Valeri Emets; music: C. Pugni

-Pas de Quatre.- Irina Kolpakova, Gabriela Komleva, Elena Evteeva and Galina Mezentseva; music: C. Pugni

-Bonus Clip: Carnival de Venice from the film Kirov Soloists.- Svetlana Efrenova & Valeri Emets; music: C. Pugni

"

A celebration of the "Soviet Style" of ballet

Midwest Book Review | Oregon, WI USA | 03/04/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Kirov Ballet: Classic Ballet Night Mixed Program captures an evening of live performances by the stars of the world-renowned Kirov Ballet Company, as they perform the highlight scenes of the most famous classic ballet dances. A celebration of the "Soviet Style" of ballet, which focuses acutely upon technique, elegance, and classical tradition, Kirov Ballet is a treasury further enhanced with a wealth of bonus features, such as biographies of the performers and a bonus video performance. An unforgettable gallery of highlights, as performed by one of the best troupes in existence. 88 minutes"

Disappointed Pugni fan

Hawkeye | Tulsa, Oklahoma | 07/06/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I agree with almost everything the Pugni lover says about this video-- but he only takes off one star for poor video quality. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter how nicely a black-clad dancer is performing against a black background with poor (1982!) Soviet recording facilities. And I would point to the same DVD as that reviewer for the best "Pas de Quartre"-- Nina Ananiashvili's 2 vol. International Stars set. But I would also point out that some of the selections on this flawed View Video production are on that same set: for example, Satanella and the Flower Festival at Genzano (better danced, as well as recorded, in my view). Also, the well-recorded Kultur DVD "Kirov Classics" includes the wonderful Pugni pas de six (Markitenka). In short, although there is not as much Pugni available as we would like (how about a full-length Esmeralda?), one doesn't have to be spoiled to pass on View Video, which is laced with marketing for their other offerings like "Massage Your Mate.""