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Prokofiev - Cinderella / Sibley, Dowell, Royal BalletRating:
Release Date: 29 May, 2001 Retail Price: $29.95 OUR Price: $26.99 You SAVE: $2.96! Cast: Complete Cast (6 total) |
Prokofiev - Cinderella / Sibley, Dowell, Royal Ballet Reviews
A Funny, Romantic Ballet With A Great Score
This filmed version of the Royal Ballet's 1969 Cinderella is a knock out, provided you're willing to accept it on its own terms. The DVD is a filmed record of the ballet's theatrical presentation. The camera takes in the stage in full shots, with medium and close-ups at times of the featured dancers.
What it makes it valuable is that this is the only record we have of one of the famed ballets of the Twentieth Century. What makes it so watchable, if you're so inclined, is a great score by Sergei Prokofiev, clever, funny, romantic, classic choreography by Frederick Ashton, a sumptuous production and superb dancing by Antoinette Sibley as Cinderella and Anthony Dowell as the Prince. They were the Royal Ballet's most famous and accomplished dancing pair after Margot Fonteyn and Rudolph Nureyev. And giving the ballet great verve and humor is Frederick Ashton and Robert Helpmann dancing the roles of the ugly sisters. Both were acclaimed premier dancers in their prime and had successful careers after, Ashton as one of Britain's great choreographers and Helpmann as an actor, choreographer and ballet manager. (You might remember Helpmann in The Red Shoes and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.) They provide the comic relief throughout the ballet. The sisters are man hungry, jealous of each other and of Cinderella and absolutely unconscious of how unattractive they are. Ashton and Helpmann are great in the roles.
The DVD is no marvel of clarity, but it's certainly watchable. It's well worth having if you like Prokofiev, if you like a classic of ballet, if you like two great comic turns...or if you like all three.
Finally a director that does not use inapropriate close-ups
This video is superbly directed: there are few head shots and few waist-and-head shots.
As anyone who loves ballet knows there is nothing more annoying than the director that focusses on the principal dancer's face while an ensemble of 40 people dances out of the frame. Especially with a choreography such as Ashton's this would have been disastrous. Fortunately the director knows his job and keeps an ideal distance from the dancers. You can still see the principals while not missing any important action that goes on in the background. It's as close to watching the actual performance as you can get.
Ashton's choreography might not be his best but it's still very good. The dancing is very good.
More Customer Reviews (7 total)
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