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Editorial Reviews
This glorious three-act ballet boasts a magical score by Alexander Glazunov, filled with melody, color and grand effects. Ludmilla Semenyaka is magnificent as the youthfully charming Raymonda and her gallant knight, Jean de Brienne, is superbly portrayed by Irek Moukhamedov. This is a beautiful story of a young couple separated by Jean’s commitment to aid King Andrei II on a campaign. In the midst of all of this, another would-be suitor, a Saracen knight, Abderakhman (played by Gedeminas Taranda) makes a bid for the hand of Raymonda. When she rejects him, he threatens to abduct her. Jean returns just in time to settle this problem in a proper duel. Abderakhman is handily defeated, and Raymonda and Jean are married at the court of King Andrei.
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Raymonda is a ballet that seems to divide fans--it's actually my favorite of the 1800s full length ballets after Sleeping Beauty, but I get why less experienced ballet fans might find its slight stroy, emphasis on dance, a bit boring. I find it enthralling.
Out of the three DVDs of Raymonda out so far (this, another Bolshoi one with about 20 minutes cut from two years later and a classic Kirov performance from 1980) this is probably the place to start, although the Kirov has a lot to recommend it as well. Grigorovich's staging is largely exquisite although I don't like some of the changes made to the original (which he'd later elaborate on--currently the Bolshoi cuts the White Lady completely when they perform Raymonda). What really makes this release preferable to the other Bolshoi recording is the cast--which is just a little bit better, with the exception of Ludmila Semenyaka who is a LOT better than the Raymonda on the other release, Bessmertnova who was a decent talent but too old and miscast in the role. Semenyaka is divine as Raymonda--which is good because the role seems to have more solos than any other ballerina role in the classical repertoire.
Glazunov's music likewise tends to divide people, but I think it's the greatest 1800s ballet score after Tchaikovsky--it may take a few more listens but its gorgeous medieaval themes will sink into your head. This DVD isn't perfect--the videotape source shows its age, the lighting isn't idea for filming in some dark scenes, and the sound lacks some oomps (and even briefly fades in and out for a minute in Act III, due to degraded video source), but we should be happy for what we have especially of this oft negelected ballet. Highly recommended.
Out of the three DVDs of Raymonda out so far (this, another Bolshoi one with about 20 minutes cut from two years later and a classic Kirov performance from 1980) this is probably the place to start, although the Kirov has a lot to recommend it as well. Grigorovich's staging is largely exquisite although I don't like some of the changes made to the original (which he'd later elaborate on--currently the Bolshoi cuts the White Lady completely when they perform Raymonda). What really makes this release preferable to the other Bolshoi recording is the cast--which is just a little bit better, with the exception of Ludmila Semenyaka who is a LOT better than the Raymonda on the other release, Bessmertnova who was a decent talent but too old and miscast in the role. Semenyaka is divine as Raymonda--which is good because the role seems to have more solos than any other ballerina role in the classical repertoire.
Glazunov's music likewise tends to divide people, but I think it's the greatest 1800s ballet score after Tchaikovsky--it may take a few more listens but its gorgeous medieaval themes will sink into your head. This DVD isn't perfect--the videotape source shows its age, the lighting isn't idea for filming in some dark scenes, and the sound lacks some oomps (and even briefly fades in and out for a minute in Act III, due to degraded video source), but we should be happy for what we have especially of this oft negelected ballet. Highly recommended.
33 of 40 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I bought this DVD after I watched Rudolf Nureyev's Raymonda documentary by Paris Opera Ballet since this is the only DVD available for the entire Raymonda performance. It is a beautiful ballet and the Russian dancers' turns are very fast. The part that I was disapointed was Abderarakhman. I am not talking about the dancer, he is really good, but it does not have the breath-taking choreography like the one I saw in Nureyev's version. Other than that it is a very good DVD to watch, except I had to fast forward everytime when there was a curtain call, it was long and almost everytime when a solorist finishes a variation. It was like watching a mini series of many variations instead of one whole ballet story. I am probably biased for Paris Opera Ballet so my feedback may not be fair. If I did not see Nureyev's documentary, this would have been one of my favorite ballet. It is beautiful.
3 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Beautiful dancing, superb artists. BUT for those of us who love ballet but do not know it as professionals, subtitles describing, explaining the action could enhance our appreciation just as subtitles in opera have opened the world of opera to the multitudes.
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