Maya Plisetskaya is universally regarded as one of the supreme ballerinas of the 20th century. In 1957, at her artistic and technical peak, she was filmed in a color production of the Bolshoi Ballet's four-act Swan Lake in the dual role of Odette and Odile. Now available for the first time on DVD, the film captures the essential qualities of Plisetskaya's art. Her lyricism (and those incredible arms) define Odette (the White Swan), while her razor-sharp attacks and brilliant turns demonstrate the malevolence of the Black Swan, Odile. Nicolai Fadeyechev is brilliant as Prince Siegfried. In a rave review, the New York Times critic commented: "This Swan Lake is a treasure."
