Customer Reviews

Prokofiev - Cinderella / Komleva, Daoukaev, Galinskaja, Koul, Bolshoi Ballet

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

 

 

This is one outstanding production! I usually don't like to comment on other reviews but this is ridiculous! There is no error in the packaging! This was a Bolshoi THEATER production, not a Bolshoi Ballet production. Everthing is correctly identified as the Kirov Ballet performing at the Bolshoi Theater, which is where they always perform when they are in MOSCOW! They are not confined to Leningrad! It appears to be made for TV, so they probably made use of the superior Moscow facilities. It is quite common for some special effects to be used in a ballet like this. Enough about the packaging. The performance is outstanding as is the picture quality. The sound quality is not perfect, however, but acceptable. The choreography is extremely ambitious and marvelously executed. Especially noteworthy is the treatment of the ugly sisters; they are not ugly at all and danced on pointe with a large number of solos. They almost steal the show! The camera work is also excellent. If you enjoy aggressive ballet, you'll like this.

Amazon's description of this DVD is "Prokofiev - Cinderella / Komleva, Daoukaev, Galinskaja, Koul, Bolshoi Ballet (1978)." This is an incorrect attribution. As many other reviewers have pointed out, it's actually a Kirov production. The confusion arises because the DVD is issued on the "Bolshoi" LABEL, which reads "Bolshoi presents Sergei Prokofiev -- Cinderella," and identifies the disc as "vol.02." The U.S. distributor is Universal. So far as I've been able to tell, the only other DVD issued on this label was "The Nutcracker," as "vol.01."

The credits give, in English:
Production and Choreography: Constantin Sergiev
Cinderella: Gabriella Komleva
Prince: Marat Daukaev
Stepmother: A. Kashirina
Father: A. Onoshko
Angry Sister: L. Galinskaja
Vain Sister: M. Kulik
Fairy godmother, gnomes, spring, summer, autumn, winter, ball master, male dancers, servants, etc.: Leningrad government academic theater opera and ballet of S. M. Kirova
Featuring students of Leningrad Academic Choreography College of A. R. Vaganovoy
Theater Symphonic Orchestra Conductor: Victor Fedotov [although the orchestra is not specifically identified, Fedotov was the resident conductor for the Kirov]
Producer & Stage Production: Victor Akunsov
Stage Manager: Vicheslav Bulaenko
Set Designers: Larisa Lukonina, Sergei Godovalov
Costume: T. Bruny
Producer: D. Petlina
Directed by: V. Vad

There is nothing to indicate whether the performance may have been filmed in either Leningrad or Moscow. This is not a bad DVD, but it's not particularly good. I was as disappointed in the orchestral conducting as in any other aspect of the performance, staging, film direction, or transfer quality. The best "Cinderella" that I'm aware of, in all respects, is the Paris Opera Ballet version choreographed by Rudolf Nureyev, who has reset the story in 1920s Hollywood, and starring Sylvie Guillem. Unfortunately this production has never been transferred to DVD; the VHS appears to be ASIN: B000005IUP.

I ask this because it was so horrible that I couldn't finish watching it and tried to not once but twice! I got through the first 40 minutes and there was more acting than there was dancing. the performance was filmed for TV, and done at weird angles. The characters were almost scary in there clown makeup and the little bit of dancing there was was mediocre at best. The part of cinderella was done by a dancer who looked almost past her prime and again there was more "acting" than dancing. I use the word acting loosely. I got this from Netflix, so I'm glad I didn't waste my money on this horrific version of cinderella.

Personally, I like my ballets to be in front of an audience without any "special effects" added for TV viewing and I like my ballerinas to actually dance, not go around pinching Cinderella the first 1/2 of the production. If you want to be sure for yourself, rent it first before you buy. You will disappointed if you waste your money on this.

This is the Kirov film made for TV. The cover inexplicably says "Bolshoi Collection," though the credits correctly identify the production. Dancing is very good, but picture quality mediocre at best.

First, this is indeed a Kirov production so why the front cover says Bolshoi is weird. It is not filmed in front of an audience and someone thought to "enhance" the performance with special effects which are awful. They distract from the dance and are very irritating. The performances aren't that good overall and the whole thing is not up to Kirov standards.

This is junk. It looks like someone camcorded it off of a television, copied it 1,000 times and then transferred it to a DVD. It would be one thing if it sold for $3.00, but it doesn't. The recorded sound actually isn't bad, but the acting is so absurd you laugh.

This is the Kirov film made for TV. The credits on the film correctly identify the theater as Kirov, so there is no explanation for the incorrect attribution on the DVD cover. Dancing is quite good, but the general tone of the production lacks energy.