Choreography By Balanchine / Chaconne, Prodigal Son, Ballo Della Regina, Elegie, The Steadfast Tin Soldier, Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux

The great virtue of this disc is that it was designed for television by Balanchine and is not a live performance designed for the stage and captured by video. The difference is immediately visible. Everything that is going on is right before your eyes, one does not face the phenomenon of either seeing close-up only a portion of the stage action or seeing the whole of the action as if one were in the uppermost region of the balconies (from which I saw this wonderful New York City Ballet company back in the mid-sixties at the New York State Theater). Balanchine here certainly draws on his Hollywood experience to solve the problem that Gene Kelly writes about in moving from stage to film in the early forties, how to convey the illusion of three-dimensional action on a two-dimensional screen.As to the short ballets herein contained, what can one say. They are Balanchine. They are Patricia McBride. They are Baryshnikov. They are, in other words, top of the line choreography performed by top of the line dancers. Though thirty years old, the video and sound are first rate as you sit in a front row seat to enjoy a well-diversified program.One need not be "into" ballet to like these pieces; one need only be susceptible to the charm of grace, the interweaving of expressive bodies into pleasurable patterns, and to music melded to dance to produce enlarged experiences of both.

PBS: Great Performances > Dance In America > Choreography by Balanchine >:Parts 3 and 4 of 4 (1977)I saw some of this series on TV back in 1978. I was awe-striken. I was a twenty-year fan of Stravinsky's music already and impressed by the composer's high opinion of this dance master (Mr. B). Seeing it for myself (being unable to go to NYC and actually attend) was totally thrilling and indelibly memorable.After getting the first DVD and playing it to death, I hungered for more and bought this one. I'm sure glad I did.Chaconne, with music by Gluck, is ravishingly beautiful stuff. The costuming is all white, so the series producer talked Mr. B into a scenario and decor, with clouds, mountains and (?) other stuff. I saw ballet to this music in the opera Orpheus and Eurydice many decades ago. I recall the male dancers wore greco-roman soldier costumes. This version was a specialty made by Mr. B when he and his American Ballet Company were employed by the Metropolitan Opera. Apparently the opera management didn't see any need for more than a perfunctory dance number in the opera. Mr. B thought he had full license to extend the role of dancing in opera. That partnership did not survive.Prodigal Son, with music by Prokofiev, is the real reason I ordered this DVD. This work is a landmark, both unusual for Balanchine and for Diaghilev too. This was the last work created for the old impressario (and his Ballet Russe) while he lived. I suppose it counter-balances the plotless dances on the first DVD. The biblical parable is reduced in complexity, with the son's degradation reduced to bad associates plus a seductress. The end of the ballet I had seen already on TV: the son crawls to his father, literally climbs into his father's arms and gets wrapped in his father's robe. The son is played by Michail Baryshnikov.I have noted my favorites. The other dances on this DVD are swell. I especially like the two Tschaikowsky works.

How awful Not to be told this DVD will not read on a Samsung DVD Player in the United States. I missed the return window. False advertising on this one and a sheer waste of money. This is my second Amazin DVD purchase/fail that has European connection unable to play.Lesson Learned. Very Surprised and disappointed at Amazon.

This video is suitable to be played on a VCR that will play Regions 2, 3. 4., 5, and 6 formatted DVDs. Without special equipment your VCR will not play this DV D, as it is most probably manufactured to play Region 1 (North America) DVDs.

as a former new yorker, nycb guild member, and subscriber to nycb performances, i saw all of these ballets live at lincoln center posibly at saratoga and at the kennedy center. seeing then on this dvd was wonderful, chaconne and ballo della regina are special favorites. these dvd's are very well done.

Balanchine at his best, and Baryshnikov's presence adds to the triumph. Prodigal Son is my favorite ballet, and you are very likely to find a favorite here as well. Watch it for the wonderful dance, or close your eyes and let the quality music feel your soul.

This DVD is an excellent product which includes some of Balanchine's most famous ballets, and certainly mine as well. I was piano soloist for the NYCB in NYC...for many years, and had the opportunity to play all the musical piano reductions of these works for rehearsals ...and performances. The dancers in this DVD are well known to me...and are excellent in their craft and artistry. This DVD is a must for afficionados of BALANCHINE and/or New York CityBallet fans. Certainly I am happy to have this in my collection of dance videos and I believe new customers will also. ENJOY!

Top performers doing top performances. What more could you ask for? Five Stars

Six wonderful pieces choreographed by Balanchine. A truly first rate DVD with excellent sound quality and first rate notes. I personally enjoyed "The Steadfast Tin Soldier"

Ce DVD contient de courts ballets de Balanchine, filmés par la télévision américaine en 1977, avec une qualité d'image excellente pour l'époque. Néanmoins, l'enregistrement en studio donne à certains passages un caractère un peu artificiel, les variations se succédant sans aucune interruption. L'esthétique des décors et des costumes est parfois un peu démodée (sans parler de la coupe de cheveux des danseurs) : les années 70 sont les années disco, et cela déborde jusque dans la danse classique.Malgré tout, il s'agit d'un beau programme de six ballets, dont trois avec Baryshnikov : les enregistrements du génial danseur ne sont pas si nombreux qu'on ne se précipite pas sur chaque occasion d'admirer sa perfection légendaire. En l'occurrence, il montre ici toute l'étendue de sa palette expressive.Dans « L'Intrépide Soldat de plomb » (assez peu fidèle au conte d'Andersen), un amusant pas de deux avec Patricia McBride montre Baryshnikov dansant avec la raideur mécanique d'un jouet. Le « Tchaïkovski Pas de deux », qui utilise une musique composée pour le « Lac des Cygnes » et rejetée par Petipa, est une époustouflante série de variations où Baryshnikov et la même Patricia McBride font assaut de virtuosité.Le plat de résistante est « Le Fils prodigue », qui dure une bonne demi-heure. On ne retrouve pas du tout le fameux style balanchinien dans cette œuvre de jeunesse très expressionniste, sans doute moderne pour l'époque (1929), mais qui semble aujourd'hui assez peu chorégraphiée, avec une part très importante laissée à la pantomime. En fait, il parait que Balanchine n'aimait pas la partition de Prokofiev, qu'il la trouvait impropre à la danse, et qu'il jugeait que l'œuvre ne « fonctionnait » pas très bien. C'est en tout cas ici la meilleure version possible de ce dernier ballet commandé par Diaghilev, avec les décors (de Rouault) et les costumes originaux. Ces derniers aussi sont assez démodés, et le héros, vêtu d'un bermuda, d'une tunique, d'une brassière et d'une cape, a quand même une étrange allure.Les trois autres œuvres sont dansées par d'autres vedettes du New York city Ballet. Ce sont des ballets sans argument, de la danse pure où se manifeste le goût de Balanchine pour les chorégraphies complexes, avec un ou plusieurs couples au milieu de nombreuses danseuses. La « Chaconne » (musique de Gluck) permet d'admirer Peter Martins, danseur peu puissant, mais très précis (pirouettes, petite batterie...), et Suzanne Farrell, excellente dans les pas rapides. Le « Ballo della Regina » (musique de Verdi) est très bien dansé aussi par Merrill Ashley et Robert Weiss, qui ont les mêmes qualités balanchiniennes. Enfin, l'« Élégie » (musique de Tchaïkovski) est moins convaincante (peut-être un peu à cause du pantalon à pattes d'éléphant de Sean Lavery).

Choreography by Balanchine, I have both DVD's and I love them. Inspirational and amazing. Perfect for people who don't have access to the ballet on a regular basis.

This product came through really fast despite issues with the snow. The DVD is great and full of good works.