Customer Reviews

Stravinsky - The Firebird / Royal Danish Ballet (Glen Tetley)

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

 

 

It is astonishing that so fanciful and delightful a ballet could be reduced to such a pedestrian spectacle. Not even the music survives intact. Poor placement of the microphones destroyed the continuity of the sound. The choreography owes more to Cirque du Soleil than to Fokine. The principals are certainly flexible; it would have been interesting to see if they could dance. This tape went straight from the VCR to the trash-can. Only a devout masochist would watch it twice.

Not only was the quality of the musical reproduction very poor, but this was not the story that was used by Stravinsky in the writing of the music commissioned by Ballanchine. What a disappointment!

I also had problems with the sound on the Firebird video. I thought it was just my copy but after reading the review prior to mine I realize that it was just poor sound quality.

I think some of the other reviewers were unnecessarily harsh with this video. I too was disappointed that it did not follow the traditional story, but once I got over that I enjoyed it. The dancing was very fine and the choreography fit the music admirably. Neither costumes nor dancing were vulgar as several others claim. The sound quality was not wonderful, but neither was it dreadful.

What do you think you get when you combine one of the world's greatest choreographers with one of the world's greatest ballet companies? Yes, it is not surprising that this is a magnificent production. It is actually quite classical in its style with only a nod toward modernism(this is nothing like Tetley's "Field Figures" which is a modern dance piece. Being on the floor for a few moments does not negate classicism. Even swans in "Swan Lake" have been known to sit on the floor!) There is a beautiful balance between male and female dancing, as well as between partnered, solo, and group variations. The dancing is excellent, as is the video and sound quality. This should appeal to all lovers of dance.

Any time you compare productions and stories you will have preferences. Some presentations are closer to the original concepts. All in all this production can stand on its own and it is worth your watching. I am amazed at the energy that went in to this production. The consumes match the production. There is always the possibility I do not know enough not to like this production. However, I think it is well executed.

I only watched the DVD rendition so I heard the music has some problems on the old VHS format. Here the music quality is excellent and just as much a character as the rest of the characters. This is not Blu-ray so do not get your hopes up. However is does not lose any resolution on a big screen. In addition, is did not have to spend time looking at subtitles. There are no coming attractions and no DVD extras just the Ballet.

This is a very interesting, refreshing and successful attempt to create something new, apart from the well-known, very familiar and dearly beloved Fokine and Goncharova, on the music of the great Stravinsky. Of course, one can observe a continental divide and difference in the ideas of idealized love between Russian and Western worlds - if in the Premiere performance the fairytale with a mysterious bird, noble Tzarevich (not less!), malicious Kaschej (The Bare Boned Evil Genius) were used, here we have Thomas Mann's style story with no magic; the metamorphosis is complete from the nebulous land of legend down to sinful earth; an ordinary father replaced the funny Kaschej, and the noblest, bravest and most beautiful Tzarevich yielded to a sensual lover (which, of course, could prove more desirable for the saved lucky Princess, since we don't really know how the legendary Tzarevich turned up intimately after the bells tolled for their wedding ' )

Yet a new attempt to revise old work deserves a praise, especially if it is a success. I would not say that innovation brought improvement here, but it offers other vision, using the music. The dancing style is overtly sensual, which could be viewed as positive of negative, depending on one's taste. I think it brought new,earthy life into this ballet and made it a great piece on its own. However, perhaps it should not be called "The Firebird" anymore, but at the same time, if one names it "One Flight from a Doll's House" or something similar, that would be excessive. Here the choreography is excellent; the dancing is superb, and it is filmed masterly! You forget you are not in the theater watching this film - no feet cutting, no close-ups, as in less skillful ballet films; no, here it is all a perfection. I also liked that the last scene seemed to be modeled on a ball's scene from "Eugene Onegin" - could it be that a tribute to music's Russian origin was paid this way?

I really liked this production, but it is very serious, Ingmar-Bergman-style story, though, and not as funny, cute and marvelous as the original fairytale; I do not think it will make anyone smile with delight; it is rather a great ballet of excellent quality. I would give it five stars if it could equal or beat the original, but I don't think it does. Yet it is highly recommended for innovation and excellent overall quality.

This is not a ballet you might expect. Furthermore, it may not be categorized as a ballet. This is a new type of art that nobody ever anticipated. The choreographer, Glen Teley, used the work of Stravinsky as just a material and created a new genre of art.