Customer Reviews

Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker / Collier, Dowell, Royal Ballet Covent Garden [VHS]

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

 

 

...I think that this ballet posesses all the elements, which make it, in my opinion, a quality performance. To begin with,the dancers posess both exceptional technical dancing skills and great acting ability. I have seen many ballet performances on video (by other ballet companies), where the dancers posess good technical dancing skills, but when it comes down to their acting ability, they couldn't act if their life depended on it. An example of the royal ballet's superb technical dancing skills, can be seen, when the sugar plum fairy (Lesley Collier) dances her famous pas de deux with her cavaliar (Anthony Dowell). Both dancers posess exquisite grace and at the same time,an immense amount of confidence. You get the feeling watching them dance, that they feel very comfortable dancing with one another. In addition to the great dancers, this production also has quality sets and beautiful costumes. Another element which stands out in regards to the Royal Ballets production of the Nutcracker, is how the theme of the ballet is presented. In most Nutcracker performances, ballet companies use the common theme of a young girl(Clara) on the verge of adolescence, who one christmas eve, is given the Nutcracker doll by her godfather Drosselmeyer. What results from that encounter, is a night of magic and adventure. In contrast, the royal ballet takes this basic theme, and uses it , but adds to it, the element of romance. The girl is not a mere young girl, but an adolescent on the brink of womanhood. She loves her Nutcracker doll, which is really drosselmeyer's nephew, who was turned into a nutcracker, by the evil mouse queen. Once the nutcracker is transformed back into Drosselmeyer's nephew, he falls in love with her, and she falls in love with him. The viewer gets the sensation, at the end of the ballet, that both Clara and Drosselmeyer's nephew are destined to be together. Why? In addition to their mutual attraction and affection for one another, they both share a common bond, and that bond is Drosselmeyer, who is responsible for bringing them together.

A great deal of review has already been done on this ballet; with the reviewers giving grades to this production that range all the way from one star to five stars. I have recently viewed this production (the laserdisc version!) and wish to provide another angle to the reviews.

I give it 4 stars; which is pretty good to me. I give 5 stars only to the greatest works. This is not the greatest, but it is still quite good. Some reviewers who give it very low scores seem to forget that this performance of the Nutcracker was filmed live- in late January 1985 (I imagine it was a special performance as it was danced over a month after Christmas)- in fact there are some nifty views of the audience during this performance. A live performance cannot be edited easily as there is only one "take", yet at the same time it provides a much more authentic look to the production.

Most, if not all of the other performances of the nutcracker cited by the reviewers are actually assembleges of various performances over a period of days. Therefore comparing this live production to them is not fair. The other performances are good, yes, but one must realize what is actually being shown on the DVD, Laserdisc, or videotape.

I received this video from my Grandfather for Christmas several years ago and absolutely love it. I watch it every Christmas along with many other versions of the Nutcracker. Anthony Dowell and Lesley Collier are a sheer delight as the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier. Julie Rose is also very good as Clara. I would highly recommend this video to all ballet lovers. Donna M. Adank

Dowell is more than just "a noble" dancer; he is princely and he is/was the best actor on a ballet stage, ever. There was no need for candy canes and Christmas paraphernalia, as along as the fairy and her prince portrayed that high and beautiful an ideal of the married couple.
The subsequent production of the Nutcracker is superior however, in my mind. The the two sections of the ballet, apart and disconnected in the prior, more classical version (Balanchine's included) are finally unified through an oniric, ambiguous vision that pays what it is due to the romanticism of E.T.A. Do we owe this to Sir Anthony as well?

Tchaikowsky's Nutcracker has, over the past century, become a fundamental Christmas season entertainment staple, in the event quite appropriate, since the work's action takes place upon Christmas Eve, but as the ballet has proved to be such a popular affair to all ages, it is a welcome diversion during any time of year. This rendering, shot with videotape for BBC Television before a very appreciative live matinee audience at Covent Garden, is abounding with first-class stage design, costumes, and special effects, all of which join with a good deal of splendid dancing by members of the Royal Ballet to make for a most engaging film. The original linear choreography created by Lev Ivanov (1892) has been employed, when applicable, by Peter Wright, Artistic Director of the Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet, whose researches within dance archives revealed a large amount of material that is used here for the staging methods of the piece, while additionally providing attendant and highly creative movements that often focus upon comedic elements intrinsic within the original work, without eschewing its well-known storyline requirements. A cardinal reason for most balletomanes to view the film will naturally center upon the technical credits of Anthony Dowell, soon to be named Director of the Royal Ballet, and here performing as The Prince, and his highly able partner, Lesley Collier, as the Sugar Plum Fairy, and although sporadic raggedness may be found throughout from members of the Corps, the four specialty numbers performed in the Land of Sweets (Spanish, Arab, Chinese, Russian) are ably danced as is as well the acting by all, notably Julie Rose as Clara and Guy Niblett as Clara's companion, The Nutcracker himself. Dowell's perfection of line is seen here to good effect, especially in his cool and light partnering of Collier during their pas de deux, this perhaps most beautiful of all romantic pieces, and a meet showcase for the skills of the pair, with the ballerina's port de bras being exceptional. Mention must additionally be made of the elegantly detailed designing by Julia Trevelyan Oman, efficient lighting from John B. Read, and the musicological augmentation by Tchaikowsky authority Roland John Wiley, along with proficient conducting of Gennady Rozhdestvensky who is minutely conversant with Tchaikowsky's score. While there can be no denying the artistic impact of several other filmed performances of Nutcracker, this effort will be the most emotionally pleasing to many viewers.

This version of "The Nutcracker" starts so delightfully that the completely boring sections after the fight with the mice make it seem that you are watching two different ballets. The "Land of the Sweets" is done in whites and golds - ALL THE COSTUMES. The makeup even looks almost like clown white makeup. The fun sections with the Spanish, Russian etc. dances turn out dull and with no color in the costumes not worth watching. The Nutcracker Prince in his red costume is the only hint of real color and he looks terrible out of place in the general color scheme. Missing are the delightful Mother Ginger, Arab dance and peppermint sticks of the New York City version.

For the most satisfying version, I recommend the wonderful New York City Ballet by far. There is really no comparison with this sterile, bland production. If you do get this Royal Ballet version, turn it off after the fight with the mice.

I bought this ballet because I wanted to round out my Nutcracker collection. I already own the Baryshnikov/American Ballet Theatre and the New York City Ballet versions and, of the three, this is by far the weakest and least interesting. The party scene is way too busy, and the costumes for the adults are unattractive, to say the least. The adults lack personality, and the children are underplayed. The NYCB production comes off much better here, even with the presence of Macauley Culkin. Real children appear in that ballet; the ABT version uses some of its younger corps members. But both of the other versions have lots of color. The party guests also appear to be having fun! Robert LaFosse and Heather Watts (NYCB) and Gayle Young and Sallie Wilson (ABT) are much better as the party's hosts.

The Kingdom of the Sweets falls way short. It is lavish, and the costumes are lush, but everything is colorless. The various dancers are almost indistinguishable from one another save for occasional touches like Russian boots and Spanish headscarves. Where are the candy canes? Where are Mother Ginger and the Polichinelles? Missing and very much missed. The dancing, however, is excellent, although Dowell is a fine danseur noble and excellent partner but does not have the good feet of Baryshnikov or young Ethan Stiefel. However, it could be Sleeping Beauty as far as anyone could tell who would be watching it without the music. The NYCB version is FAR superior. ABT's also is more watchable, although the ending is a little bizarre thanks to Baryshnikov's new interpretation. Unless you are a collector, do not buy this.

I enjoyed this DVD very much much. It makes a nice edition to my Christmas viewing. It is like you are really there, at Covent Garden, and viewing the live performance!

We got this video to watch with our children at Christmas time. My children love the first half of the performance, but after that, they ask me to turn it off. They miss the dance of the peppermints and Mother Ginger and get bored watching Lesley Collier dance again, and again, and again. Perhaps people came to see her dance, but it seems to me that the story gets lost in the end of this performance in such a long feature of the prima donna.

I really love this Royal Ballet Production of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker. The orchestra sounds much better than on the Baryshnikov version. The percussion section here could blow off the viewer's speakers. Now I can see why Svetlanov conducts in a slow pace here on this production: it's to bring out everything the orchestra has to offer and to fit the dancing and choreography. The complaint I have is that Mother Ginger is cut. Everything else is in there and I don't have to worry at all.Here's another problem: If only Gelsey Kirkland was on this video instead of the Baryshnikov one. She's more gorgeous looking than this girl who plays Clara here(I forgot what her name was). Gelsey Kirkland is more gorgeous looking than anybody else who played the role of Clara in a Nutcracker. I don't think there's anyone more gorgeous looking who played Clara. All the Nutcracker versions I've heard have a not-so-pretty looking girl who plays Clara. Come on directors, think pretty when you're talking about a character like Clara. If I were a director, I would. Everyone else looks fantastic. But the Clara, no way! Somebody should hire a really pretty looking Clara the next time they do a Nutcracker production, someone who looks more like Gelsey Kirkland!