TDK are a little bit naughty here, as the name ‘Rudolf
Nureyev’ is emblazoned on the box, and one could be lead into the
idea that Nureyev is dancing in this production. Now that
would have been something! However it is only Nureyev’s choreography
which is being used with the ballet itself danced by contemporary
dancers from the Paris company. It is not that they give poor performances,
far from it, but the production is being marketed and sold under
somewhat misleading pretences.
Ludwig Minkus, in his day, was a very well respected
composer of ballet music. He composed Don Quichotte for
the Bolshoi Ballet under direction from Marius Petipa. The story
was based upon scenes from Cervantes’ story, and concentrated
upon episodes from the latter half of the story, focusing upon
the love story between Kitri and the barber Basile. Minkus was
not the only composer to be affected by the story, others being
Telemann, Strauss, Falla and Ravel.
Nureyev took the story and choreographed it generally
in line with Petipa’s original choreography, converting the ballet
from a full five act work to that of Prologue and three acts.
Nureyev had danced the ballet in his native Russia early on in
his career and with great success. He wished to introduce it to
the West when he defected to Paris in 1961. He created a new choreography
for a production in Vienna at the State Opera in 1966, where he
adhered basically to the Petipa version. He did however cut the
number of acts from five to three.
John Lanchberry arranged Minkus’s score for this
version, which focuses on the love between Kitri and the barber
Basile. In this story, the part of the Don is reduced to that
of a somewhat minor figure who appears in a few grotesque-comical
scenes.
The standard of the production is very good with
no real problems. The standard of the dancing is uniformly high
with superb lighting and relatively little foot noise. The orchestra
is conducted quite capably by Ermanno Florio, who does a quite
competent job, albeit restricted by the need to accompany the
dancers. What I wouldn’t give for a performance of Don Quixote
conducted by Anatole Fistoulari!
An excellent DVD and one which I am sure you
will enjoy.
John Phillips
L’Orchestre de l’Opéra
Nationale de Paris/Ermanno Florio. 