Live Recording from The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, 1991
Altynai Asylmuratova (Nikiya), Irek Mukhamedov (Solor), Darcey Bussell (Gamzatti), Tetsuya Kumakawa (The Bronze Idol), Anthony Dowell (The High Brahmin) & David Drew (Dugmanta)
Choreography by NATALIA MAKAROVA after MARIUS PETIPA
Directed for Stage by NATALIA MAKAROVA
Set by PIER LUIGI SAMARITANI
La Bayadère was originally choreographed in 1877 by the great master of Russian classical ballet, Marius Petipa and later adapted by the Kirov Ballet. The Kirov version has been re-created by Natalia Makarova and legendary choreography is now available on DVD.
The ballet was first seen outside of Russia in London in 1961 when excerpts of the work were performed as The Kingdom of the Shades. It was during this Kirov Ballet tour that Nureyev defected to the West. Two years later he staged The Kingdom of the Shades for the Royal Ballet. The full-length ballet regained popularity with Nathalia Makarova’s (herself a former Kirov Dancer) sumptuous restaging of the work for the American Ballet Theatre in 1980 and subsequently for The Royal Ballet in 1989. With its two starring ballerina roles, this classic is a perennial favourite of the ballet repertory. This DVD captures the Royal Ballet’s famous 1989 ‚all-stars‘ performance of La Bayadère with the divine Altynai Asylmuratova as Nikiya the much beloved Darcey Bussell, as Gamzatti in one of her first important roles at the Royal Ballet.
Sound Format: PCM Stereo, DD 5.1, DTS 5.1
Picture Format: 4:3
DVD Format: DVD 9, NTSC
Running Time: 123 mins
FSK: 6
Click here for alternative recordings of this work.
