Product Overview
Rudolf Nureyev's Don Quixote / Opera National de Paris / Les Premiers Danseurs / Le Corps de Ballet et l'Orchestre / Europe Images International / Music by Ludwig Minkus / Musical Direction Ermanno Florio / 2002 DVD
Total Playtime: 122 Minutes
Region 0 PAL
Made in Germany
UPC 5450270007790
- Aspect Ratio : 16:9
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- ASIN : B000089ASA
- Country of Origin : France
- Number of discs : 1
This spectacular film of Don Quixote, choregraphed after Petipa and directed for the screen by Russian ballet superstar Rudolf Nureyev, is recognized as one of the finest ballet performances ever caught on camera and a cinematic triumph in it's own right. Filmed in Melbourne with the Australian Ballet in 1973, the cast includes Nureyev as Basilio, Sir Robert Helpmann as the deluded knight and Lucette Aldous as Kitri. This timeless story of love, gallantry and misadventure - all unfolding with Minkus's exhilarating Spanish flavored music - has stood the test of time as one of the world's most popular ballets. Lovingly restored from the original 35mm film, and to be heard for the first time in full SS digital stereo created for the DVD and Blu-ray release, this is finally, how Nureyev intended his Don Quixote to be seen and heard.
In 1959, at the age of 21, Rudolf Nureyev with Ninel Kourgapkina as his partner gave a brilliant performance of Basil with the Kirov Ballet in Leningrad. Once he had chosen to remain in the West in 1961, this became one of his cult roles, highlighting yet another facet of the dancer/actor: his mischievous spirit and his gift for comedy.Rudolf Nureyev danced the final pas de deux with Sonia Arova as early as 1962 in New York. He then restaged the entire work, devising a new choreography after Marius Petipa and Alexandre Gorski for the Vienna Opera in 1966, and asking John Lanchbery to work on several arrangements of Minkus’ music so as to give it a livelier character.
He revived it in 1970 with the Australian Ballet (with Lucette Aldous), and the following year with the Marseille Opera Ballet which was directed at this time by Rosella Hightower (Maïna Gielgud played the role of Kitri)
