Customer Reviews

In Classic Style: The Splendor of American Ballet Theatre

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Make sure you have a large coffee table before purchasing this book. It is oversize and heavy and full of very nice pictures of eight ballets from ABT. Most of the photos are full page with no margins and a number are spread across two pages. There is a simple page of text to introduce each ballet but after that the pages are all pictures. Photographing the ballet can be challenging since the lighting is usually difficult and the subjects are always moving. It is clear that Nancy Ellison is very knowledgeable of these performances and performers and has captured these moments when the movement and expressions were just right. Many world class dancers are featured including Nina Ananiashvili, Jose Carreno, Irina Dvorovenko, Paloma Herrera and Gillian Murphy. Performances photographed are "La Bayadere", "The Sleeping Beauty", "Symphonie Concertante", "Romeo and Juliet", "The Dream", "Othello", "Cinderella", "Giselle", "Manon", and "Swan Lake". You also get a good look at some of the lavish sets and costumes at the Met. This book is nicely printed on thick paper and it has heavy cloth bound covers. This is an expensive book, but worth it and it cost less than a ticket to the Met.

ABT is my favorite ballet company. This is a gorgeous coffee book. Fabulous pictures. Not as much text if one is looking for more history or to read about the dancers, but an outstanding ballet book to add to my collection.

This book is 98% large, lush pictures of some of the elaborate ballets that ABT is best known for. These are not 'staged' photos like you see in the ABT calendars (and don't get me wrong, I love those, too) but these are action shots from the ballets themselves.

You get a very close view of the dancers and costumes- you get a great feel for the artistry of the ABT. Yes, it is spendy, but you really get to appreciate these moments that zip past when you are at the theater!

Anyone who loves ballet would LOVE this book. Ten of their most popular ballets beautifully photographed with notes and commentary. It was an absolute joy to look through and read. Makes me remember my long-ago days in ballet class.

This book was a gift to a budding ballerina. The photographs are beautiful but I did not read the book as I gave it away.

This book is art "manufacturing." It is not American Ballet Theatre, or as it is also known, ABT. It is "kill manufacturing" vis a vis Berlin science. They are not designses. They are not art plates. Save your money.