| | |  | Ballets & Classics | Home » » » Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake / Mikhalchenko, Vasyuchenko, Vetrov, Zhuraitis, Bolshoi Ballet | | | | | | | Product Details: | | | Actors:
| Alla Mikhalchenko, Algis Zhuraitis, Yuri Vasyuchenko, Aleksander Vetrov, Bolshoi Opera Ballet | | Format:
| Classical, DVD, NTSC | | Language:
| English, French, Spanish | | Number of Discs:
| 1 | | Studio:
| Arthaus Musik | | Run Time:
| 129 minutes | | DVD Release Date:
| January 18, 2005 | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 5 reviews |
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| New | |
| $9.79 | New | | | $9.79 | New | | | $9.99 | New | | | $14.32 | New | | | $15.48 | New | | | $15.49 | New | | | $15.59 | New | | | $15.63 | New | | | $15.69 | New | | | $16.62 | New | | | $16.95 | New | | | $17.49 | New | | | $17.99 This item is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. | New | | | $18.23 | New | | | $18.71 | New | | | $19.35 | New | | | $19.63 | New | | | $21.81 | New | |
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 A common man's point of view.Dec 01, 2009
This ballet is the twin sister of another Swan Lake starring Maya Plisetskaya.....Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake [DVD Video].....However, this version by the same Bolshoi Ballet, stars another very good ballerina Alla Mikhalchenko and her partner is Yuri Vasyuchenko. The two ballets are almost identical, same sets,same scene changes, same costumes, the princesses wear almost identical dresses, both Siegfrieds wear identical costumes, and when you see the tutu of one Swan Queen you have seen them all. The lighting in this version IS better than the Plisetskaya version, however, and the sound is a better quality PCM stereo. Both ballets are 4/3 video format. This version is 129 minutes whereas Maya's version is 141 minutes. Both versions have the so called happy but dramatic ending with the Swan Queen darting between Siegfried and Rothbart supposedly saving Siegfried's life. I would like to see a version where the brave Siegfried saves the Swan Maiden. Isn't the hero supposed to save the damsel? Have you seen the sorry excuses Nuereyev had for heros? I've only seen two, but in both cases Rothbart vanquishes Siegfried, and wins the Swan Queens for himself. Siegfried should win the battle of good over evil, and there are several Russian versions which show just that. One of the best is the 1968 filmed version w/Yelena Yevteyeva, my very first Swan Lake. Siegfried, played by John Markovsky, lifts Rothbart over his head and throws him to his death, a very dramatic ending......Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake (1968)..... All three of the ballets I've mentioned here are worth owning.
Some people have praised choreographer Yuri Grigorovich as a genius. He was NOT. He staged a few original works when he was a beginning choreographer in St Petersburg, but when he came to the Bolshoi he took for himself the fame of his predecessors and called their works his own. Many of the ballets he takes credit for have none of his choreography and while he was artistic director of the Bolshoi, NO ONE was allowed to introduce a new work. Read chapter 47 of Maya Plisetskaya's autobiography.....I, Maya Plisetskaya.....(where, I believe, she is telling the truth) about life at the Bolshoi. He ruined the careers of many people. Yuri Grigorovich was a despot, a little Stalin, amongst many little Stalins in the former USSR. In a totalitarian system, once a despotic type realizes he has power over others, he can become a little Stalin. I hope I don't make anyone angry, but this is a part of history, from someone who made history....Richard.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Poor recording and actingApr 17, 2009
In my opinion, the lighting and zoom in shots were rather substandard on this DVD and it is definitely not my DVD player at fault here. Things looked dark, fuzzy, too small in many of the shots. It is okay but not the best in terms of lighting and recording. It seems that Algis Zhuraitis had been having a vodka the night he danced Seigfried in this Swan Lake production and maybe the camera crew were as well. I did not think very much of the filming or the Prince's delivery of an innocent young man falling in love with an innocent young girl. I like to see great acting in ballet to move me into another world. Prince S. seemed quite fatigued at times while dancing leaps and turns in act 3. He executed the steps reasonably well I guess but it was the lack lustre acting that got me down. Other ballet dancers are really amazing actors and make the audience feel in sympathy. Is it me being too picky or has he got the beginnings of osteoporosis because I felt his shoulders seemed somewhat hunched although his chin was well lifted while dancing? Well nobody is perfect not even the finest on a bad night. Odette was okay - Odettes/Odiles usually are in Swan Lake. I like to see the other characters do something special as well as the Swan Queen. Von Rothbart danced okay but someone in the Bolshoi wardrobe dept.needs to get a more dramatic costume designed for their evil magician because I did not feel a single prickle of fear or loathing for the chap chasing young Seigfreid around the stage. Scary ballet moves were not enough to convince me of the evil that this magician was supposed to represent. He needed a big cloak or scary light effects to set him out as powerful and invincible. The curtain in the middle of the stage in act two was a nuisance and where were the Prince's friends on the hunt with their cross bows? By contrast the Royal Ballet Covent Garden's 1981 production put enormous bat's wings on its Rothbart which looks more impressive and huge.The American Ballet Theatre employed an alter ego for its Rothbart played by Marcelo Gomes to seduce young Odette. There is much that can be done to develop malignant characters image to contrast the helplessness of the innocent characters in ballet and the Bolshoi could do better here I feel. Well, that's about it.
A Swan Lake of referenceDec 31, 2008
There are certain recordings of Swan Lake that will endure the test of time because of near-flawless dancing plus modestly innovative choreographic and staging touches. This is one of those DVDs. The only reason I have rated it four rather than five stars is the less-than-perfect sound recording. The violin solo in the second national dance can barely be heard unless you crank up the volume. The conducting, though, is top-notch. Enjoy.
7 of 12 found the following review helpful:
BeautifulAug 21, 2005
This is a very nice version of Swan lake. The dancing is wonderful and the principles are good. My only down point is Mikhalchenko. Her technique is a bit rusty. She is a bit old school. But, the ball room scene is amazing. TOTAL DRAMA. The music for the variations of the black swan and the prince go really well with the over all mood. Best version on the market
19 of 23 found the following review helpful:
Grighorovich is a genius!Jul 20, 2005
I have watched many,many different productions of "Swan Lake",but the version of Jury Grighorovich is my favourite.The choreography is much more logical than the original.It is full of new and interesting ideas.Grighorovich does not tell the old story,but he penetrates in the soul of the heroes.He gives a new sence to the opposition "black-white".The soul of the men has the both of them.The scenography is really magical and helps to the choreographer to develop his ideas.The production has wonderful construction.
The orchestra of Bolshoi is exceptional.
Mikhalchenko as Odette-Odile has an exclusive technique,but I think that her dance is not very expressive.Vasyuchenko and Vetrov are good,but not exceptional,for me.But I am very impressed by the dancers who make little solos and by the corps de ballet.Only Bolshoi ballet could make such a production.
If you want great principals buy the versions with Makarova or Plissetskaya.If you want great production in general, this is for you!
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