[Arthaus 100713] TCHAIKOVSKY: Swan Lake (Bolshoi Ballet, 1989)

From the Bolshoi Theatre 1989. Swan Lake is the very essence of classical ballet and has a rather venerable history of its own. First choreographed in 1877 by the great Marius Petipa for the Bolshoi, this original choreography has since been tweaked by almost every choreographer to get hold of it down through the years. Yuri Grigorovich keeps the general outline of the story of a prince who falls in love with the mythic half-woman, half-swan Odette (only to betray her when she appears to him in disguise as Odile). Grigorovich however added a controversial twist with his inclusion of a psychological dimension to the proceedings: the evil sorcerer cast as the dark twin of the hero-prince. The pearl of this production is undoubtedly Alla Mikhalchenko as Odette-Odile. Her impressive technique and brilliant acting gives the character a new expressive dimension. (Arthaus 100713) More Info.: http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=100713

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, often anglicized as Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky, was a Russian composer of the romantic period, some of whose works are among the most popular music in the classical repertoire. He was the first Russian composer whose music made a lasting impression internationally, bolstered by his appearances as a guest conductor in Europe and the United States. Tchaikovsky was honored in 1884 by Emperor Alexander III, and awarded a lifetime pension.

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