Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker (Marinsky Theatre) [Blu-ray]

Jul 29, 2010 00:39:25

Brand : GERGIEV,VALERY

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Filmed in the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg where the ballet was first performed in 1892. The production, by world-renowned avant-garde artist Mikhail Shemiakin, is a more mature, "adult" version of The Nutcracker, highlighting many of the darker themes. The eye-catching costumes and scenery help create the surreal atmosphere. The dancing, led by Leonid Sarafanov and Irina Golub, is of the highest quality and displays the very distinctive and exacting qualities of the Mariinsky Theatre. Valery Gergiev conducts the complete, un-cut version of Tchaikovsky's most popular score. With an image up to six times sharper than conventional DVD and superior high-definition sound, Blu-Ray lets you watch opera and ballet performances from the front row of the theater. Experience every detail, no matter how small, in the highest quality possible. With five times the memory of standard DVDs, Blu-Ray is a completely new way to experience the theater at home.

Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker (Marinsky Theatre) [Blu-ray] Reviews By Customers

Some say that the music of a country is best performed by artists in that country and this brilliant effort supports that view. The dancing, lavish and colourful sets, orchestral playing under maestro Gergiev, are all top notch. The choreography by Krill Simonov is new and different to that seen in most productions and this gives a freshness to the production. Quite a few dances are traditionally performed by solo artists but here are danced by two or three together. Many of the presentations have new, elaborate and effective staging with great effects. The music is very familiar to me and the overall result in 24 bit surround sound is both entertaining and musically satisfying. A 12 year old ballet student and her family looked at it with us and everyone voted it "great". Thoroughly recommended.

Ugly - Larry R. Coffman - Reno, NV USA
I guess the Russians have succomed to the same silliness. Why production designers have to take traditional works (yes they are museum pieces, but museums exhibit many beautiful things) and make them ugly is easy to understand. They want to be "different." Tchaikovsky's music does not go well with this production from the Marinsky (formerly Kirov)ballet. Yes, I know that E.T.A. Hoffman's original "Nutcracker" is darker than what has traditionally been presented, but Tchaikovsky wrote the music for a lighter, brighter production design. If you think giant houseflies, snow maidens dressed in black, and choruses of dead, pale childred are beautiful, you will like this atrocity. The blue-ray technology is good, but what a waste of technology!

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An absolute delight - John Chandler - Melbourne, Australia
I cannot imagine a better Nutcracker than this. It is a delight from beginning to end. Wonderful sets, costumes, and superb dancing. The picture and sound quality are just wonderful. Do not hesitate. I personally prefer this to the recent San Francisco Blu ray but that is also pretty good but not as traditional as this production. I rate this as one of the best ballet discs in my collection.

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