La Bayadère / Royal Opera House / BALLET DE L'OPÉRA DE PARIS / RUDOLF NUREYEV / ISABELLE GUÉRIN, LAURENT HILAIRE, ÉLISABETH PLATEL / DVD Video 

UPC 0745099685126

La Bayadère ballet. Music by Ludwig Minkus arranged by John Lanchbery. Choreographed by Rudolf Nureyev after Marius Petipa. Performed 1994 at the Paris Opéra Ballet. Stars Isabelle Guérin (Nikiya), Laurent Hilaire (Solor), Élisabeth Platel (Gamzatti, the Rajah's daughter), Francis Malovic (The High Brahmin), Jean-Marie Didière (Rajah), Lionel Delanoê (Maghaveya, the Head Fakir), Wilfried Romoli (The Bronze Idol) as well as Agnès Letestu, Clothilde Vayer, and Nathalie Riqué (The Three Shades). Michel Quéval conducts the Orchestre Colonne. Set designs by Ezio Frigerio; costumes by Franca Squarciapino. Originally recorded by film director Alexandre Tarta on 35mm stock and later transferred to a video produced by François Duplat. Released 2010, disc has LPCM stereo sound only.

This is a fine-art motion picture film originally made in 1994 to show in movie houses. There have been quite a few of such movies made over the years. Many of those films are still available today thru Criterion etc. But this is one of only several fine-arts movie to be remastered to video well enough to take advantage of Blu-ray presentation (as opposed to the VHS or DVD). Video resolution in subject title is better than DVD but not as good as typical HDVDs released from 2010 on. Because this was made to be shown in movie houses, it only has stereo sound. Long ago we excluded this title for age and stereo only. But recently Wonk Zach Farr argued that we should cover this and sent us his copy of the disc to review.

We then decided to make an exception for this title mainly because of the extraordinary investment made by the Paris Opera Ballet to help make Nureyev’s last major production a monumental success. The Nureyev Bayadère premiered in 1992, Nureyev died in 1993, and subject recording was made a year later. So this title might be considered as a kind of memorial to Nureyev from the people he mentored at the Paris Opéra Ballet.

Nikiya: Isabelle Guérin Solor: Laurent Hilaire
Gamzatti: Elisabeth Platel and the soloists and the corps de ballet from the Paris Opera.

Nureyev’s last production, first unabridged version of the ballet staged at the Paris Opera. Scenery and costumes by Ezio Frigerio and Franca Squarciapino conjuring up the splendour of India. Outstanding cast, selected by Nureyev for its creation in 1992. Recorded in 1994.

• Recording: Paris Opera
• Duration: 132
• Choreography: Rudolf Nureyev after Marius Petipa
• Music: Ludwig Minkus
• Publication date: 2002
• Publisher: BEL AIR PRODUCTIONS PARIS