On his wedding day, the young Scotsman James is awakened with a kiss from an ethereal winged creature, a Sylph. Entranced by her beauty, James risks everything to pursue an unattainable love. La Sylphide is one of the world’s oldest surviving ballets, and a treasure in Danish ballet master August Bournonville’s style. Staged for the Bolshoi by Bournonville expert Johan Kobborg, this production is the ultimate romantic masterpiece. Captured live from the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow.
Peer Gynt (2008)
A dramatic, energetic adaptation of Heinz Spoerli's ballet based on Grieg's Peer Gynt by the Zurich ballet. Marijn Rademaker is excellent as the title character, clearly telegraphing the emotional range required. Each of the characters and the dramatic scenes are supported by the orchestral passages and songs provided by Grieg; some spoken word passages extracted from the Ibsen play.
The Nutcracker (2009)
This all-time ballet favourite, in which young Clara is swept into a fantasy adventure when one of her Christmas presents comes to life, is at its most enchanting in Peter Wright's glorious production.
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker (Valery Gergiev) (2012)
During a Christmas Eve party and a young girl, Clara, being given a nutcracker doll by her godfather, Drosselmeyer. Later in the evening when Clara sleeps, she finds herself in the midst of the Nutcracker’s battle against the Mouse King and his army of mice. Coming to Clara’s aid, the Nutcracker is transformed into a Prince and journeys with her to an enchanted island where spectacular celebrations are held in their honor. Pre-recorded at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg in December 2011, Wassili Vainonen’s version of the beloved holiday ballet is for the first time in 3-D in select theaters.
The Royal Ballet (1960)
Filmed on the stage of London's Covent Garden. Includes extracts from Swan lake, Ondine & The Firebird.
Aria (1987)
Ten short pieces directed by ten different directors, including Ken Russell, Jean-Luc Godard, Robert Altman, Bruce Beresford, and Nicolas Roeg. Each short uses an aria as soundtrack/sound, and is an interpretation of the particular aria.
Giselle (2006)
Giselle is the quintessential Romantic ballet. Its title role, one of the most technically demanding and emotionally challenging in the classical repertory, is here danced by Alina Cojocaru, partnered by Johan Kobborg as Count Albrecht. This tale of the transcendental power of love over death is evocatively portrayed through Peter Wrights sensitive staging and John Macfarlanes designs, which beautifully contrast the human and supernatural worlds mastered from a High Definition recording and true surround sound. Conductor : Boris Gruzin Orchestra : The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
The Nutcracker & the Mouse King (2011)
Going to see Nutcracker with the whole family has been a tradition in other countries for many years. Now it is a tradition in the Netherlands as well. It became apparent that the Netherlands had also adopted this tradition in 1996, when the Dutch National Ballet presented its own version of the famous fairytale ballet. It is a magical production that has won the hearts of more than 250,000 people to date. Choreographers Toer van Schayk and Wayne Eagling created a Nutcracker for the children and adults of today. It is more dynamic and exciting, and less sweet than usual. They also chose to give a Dutch twist to their interpretation of the story, with skaters on the canals and a living room that transforms into a snowy forest. Unlike the original story, the production by Eagling and Van Schayk (who also designed the delightful sets and costumes) does not take place on Christmas Eve in a German town, but during St. Nicholas celebrations in Amsterdam, around 1810.
Bizet: Carmen (2013)
With the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra and conductor Brian Castles-Onion, a gritty set design, sumptuous bold costumes, stunning choreography, and the inestimable direction of Gale Edwards and Bizet's glorious opera is brought to life like never before in this second Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour.
Mayerling (2010)
Edward Watson takes the role of Crown Prince Rudolf in Kenneth MacMillan's compelling ballet which lives out the final eight years of Rudolf's life with its relentless downward spiral of political intrigue, drugs and murder. It culminates with the suicide pact at the hunting lodge - known as Mayerling - between Rudolf and his 17-year-old mistress, Mary Vetsera (Mara Galeazzi). Filmed in high definition and recorded in true surround sound.
Bolshoi Ballet: The Lady of the Camellias (2015)
Armand Duval finds himself at the auction of the famous courtesan Marguerite Gautier’s possessions after she passed away. She was Armand’s true love, and the vision of her belongings awakens vivid memories of their turbulent love story. Choreographer John Neumeier adapts Alexandre Dumas fils’s timeless novel The Lady of the Camellias for the stage with great sensitivity and emotional depth in his work of rare beauty. As the troubled courtesan Marguerite, superstar prima Svetlana Zakharova and Hamburg Ballet’s guest star Edvin Revazov as Armand bring the passionate drama to new emotional heights accompanied by Chopin’s fantastic score. Captured live in Moscow on December 6, 2015, for the Bolshoi Ballet's 2015/2016 cinema season. Encore screenings of this recording were released during the 2017/2018 and 2020/2021 cinema seasons.
Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake (2007)
The classic Mariinsky (Kirov) production of the greatest of all ballets. Filmed in the imperial splendor of the Mariinsky Theatre, St Petersburg. Starring Ulyana Lopatkina, Danila Korsuntsev and the breathtaking Mariinsky corps de ballet. Conducted by the great Russian maestro Valery Gergiev.
Romeo and Juliet (1984)
Ballet performance by The Royal Ballet, recorded at Covent Garden, London, United Kingdom, July 1984.
Center Stage (2000)
A group of 12 teenagers from various backgrounds enroll at the American Ballet Academy in New York to make it as ballet dancers and each one deals with the problems and stress of training and getting ahead in the world of dance.
The Royal Ballet: Within the Golden Hour / Medusa / Flight Pattern (2019)
Christopher Wheeldon's Within the Golden Hour is based around seven couples separating and intermingling, to music by Vivaldi and Ezio Bosso and lit with the rich colours suggested by sunset. In Flight Pattern, Crystal Pite combines Górecki's haunting “Symphony of Sorrowful Songs” with a large dance ensemble to create a poignant and passionate reflection on migration. Between them, Medusa is new work inspired by the Greek myth, created for The Royal Ballet by the acclaimed choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, which juxtaposes Purcell arias with an electronic score by Olga Wojciechowska.
Coppélia (The Royal Ballet) (2000)
Coppélia, a mechanical doll made by the toy-maker Dr. Coppelius, is so life-like that some believe she is his daughter. The mistake leads to intrigue and jealousy in love. Directed by Ross MacGibbon, with Leanne Benjamin and Carlos Acosta.
The Children of Scaramouche (2014)
Dive into a danced dream in this film by François Roussillon! Inspired by José Martinez’s three-act ballet Les enfants de Scaramouche (a choreography on music by Darius Milhaud that premiered in 2010), this 2014 filmed adaptation highlights the incredible talents of the young students of the Paris National Opera’s Dance School. Roussillon reframes Martinez’s work within a larger story of a boy named Enzo who dreams of becoming an Étoile dancer. He and his young friends at the Nanterre School take over the stage of the Palais Garnier, dancing the story of Scaramouche with a carefree excitement that captures the heart and delights the eyes!