Prokofiev: Cinderella, Op. 87 (Aschenbrödel)

Director and Choreographer: David Bintley

Set and Costume Designer: John F. Macfarlane

Birmingham Royal Ballet’s award-winning chief choreographer, David Bintley, creates his own stunning new Cinderella fairy story, returning to the essence of the 17th-century original.

Elisha Willis’s forlorn and palely loitering Cinders is brutally treated by her two bullying stepsisters in their mouldering kitchen, encouraged by their wicked witch of a mother, the wonderfully Cruella De Vil-like Marion Tait. The sisters, Skinny (Gaylene Cummerfield) and Dumpy (Carol-Anne Millar, having fun in a fat suit) tread a nimble line between comedy and nastiness, while never descending to caricature. Their raucous behaviour, as they attempt to attract the attention of every eligible bachelor they see, is brought to life with hilariously faulty footwork. And the regal revelling at the ball is given a modern edge as the dancers enjoy a cup cake or two. But the show is made truly heartwarming through the vision of Cinderella’s suffering being transformed into deserved joy as she meets her Prince and lives happily ever after.

Designer John Macfarlane has conjured up a magical world to bring this much loved fairytale to life. After a terrific opening, he transforms the potently grim kitchen into a dream-like, star-speckled fantasia-cum nightmare: a giant friendly frog and a pair of lively lizards help dress Cinderella for the ball; the glittering carriage, like spun sugar, folds itself together; and Cinderella vanishes at the stroke of midnight through the whirring mechanism of a simply amazing clock. The piece ends with a vast celestial body melting on to the stage.

Koen Kessels draws splendid playing from the Royal Ballet Sinfonia.

“This Cinderella is a theatrical banquet for the eyes” THE TELEGRAPH

Approx Duration: 109 mins

Picture format: NTSC 16:9

Colour

Region Code: All regions

Audio: Dolby 2.0 Stereo + 5.1 Surround sound

Subtitles: None

Director and Choreographer: David Bintley

Set and Costume Designer: John F. Macfarlane

Birmingham Royal Ballet’s award-winning chief choreographer, David Bintley, creates his own stunning new Cinderella fairy story, returning to the essence of the 17th-century original.

Elisha Willis’s forlorn and palely loitering Cinders is brutally treated by her two bullying stepsisters in their mouldering kitchen, encouraged by their wicked witch of a mother, the wonderfully Cruella De Vil-like Marion Tait. The sisters, Skinny (Gaylene Cummerfield) and Dumpy (Carol-Anne Millar, having fun in a fat suit) tread a nimble line between comedy and nastiness, while never descending to caricature. Their raucous behaviour, as they attempt to attract the attention of every eligible bachelor they see, is brought to life with hilariously faulty footwork. And the regal revelling at the ball is given a modern edge as the dancers enjoy a cup cake or two. But the show is made truly heartwarming through the vision of Cinderella’s suffering being transformed into deserved joy as she meets her Prince and lives happily ever after.

Designer John Macfarlane has conjured up a magical world to bring this much loved fairytale to life. After a terrific opening, he transforms the potently grim kitchen into a dream-like, star-speckled fantasia-cum nightmare: a giant friendly frog and a pair of lively lizards help dress Cinderella for the ball; the glittering carriage, like spun sugar, folds itself together; and Cinderella vanishes at the stroke of midnight through the whirring mechanism of a simply amazing clock. The piece ends with a vast celestial body melting on to the stage.

Koen Kessels draws splendid playing from the Royal Ballet Sinfonia.

“This Cinderella is a theatrical banquet for the eyes” THE TELEGRAPH

Approx Duration: 109 mins

Choreography by MAGUY MARIN

Sets & Costumes by MONTSERRAT CASANOVA

Lighting Design by JOHN SPRADBERRY

Maguy Marin‘s highly original and magical version of the Cinderella story was an unparalleled success through out its world tour. Anna Kisselgoff of the New York Times said that Marin‘s „vision reaches back into the universals of everyone‘s childhood - the hurts and joys resonate here with touching depth.“ Marin’s choreographic vision is so extraordinarily original and magical that it seems to evoke universally familiar images and memories of childhood. In her childlike approach to the work, the characters are presented as living dolls with real human feelings projected upon them in the way children like to identify with their toys. The fairy tale is set in a dolls’ house, the Fairy Godmother is a robot, Cinderella goes to the ball in a toy car and the Prince sets off in search of his beautiful but unknown guest astride a rocking horse…

Sound Format: PCM Stereo

Picture Format: 4:3

DVD Format: DVD 9, NTSC

Running Time: 87 mins

FSK: 0

Choreographer: Rudolf Nureyev

Rudolf Nureyev’s colourful, “movie-star” version of Prokofiev’s Cinderella retains the classic Perrault story but sets it in America during the difficult years of the Great Depression in the 1930s and 1940s. Agnès Letestu stars as Cinderella who, living with her alcoholic father, tyrannical stepmother and two spiteful stepsisters, dreams of escape and stardom in Hollywood. After a promising screen-test during which The Film Star, suavely portrayed by José Martinez, falls head over heels in love with her, she is fearful that her new-found happiness is too good to be true and will vanish with her youth. Fortunately, her magical protector (in the form of The Producer) and her lover move heaven and earth for a ‘happily ever after’ ending. This is Paris Opera Ballet at its very best.

‘More than a traditional full-length ballet, Nureyev’s Cinderella is a musical fantasy overflowing with vitality.’ Le Figaro

The famous story of Perrault becomes a wonderful ballet thanks to the genius of Serguei Prokofiev. This DVD offers this major piece interpreted by The Marinsky Theatre in a mind-blowing direction. An abundance of characters and mythical scenes (poetic duet with the Prince, remarkable adagios, languourous waltzs…). A succession of very famous scenes among which, the presentation of the slipper to Cinderella who is either dreamy or nervous but always pure. A moment of grace and emotion lived through the magic of Dance. The popular Bolshoi Ballet series continues, bringing ballet lovers some of the finest performances by the worlds most acknowledged dance company.