Product Description
This program immortalizes a gala evening of classical ballet featuring the legendary team of Rudolf Nureyev and Dame Margot Fonteyn. Britain's Royal Ballet is one of the world's most celebrated dance companies, thrilling us for over 30 years with a legacy of stunning performances. This video has been critically acclaimed as "a chance to view the pinnacle of ballet achievement." This program features excerpts from immortal favorites including Le Corsaire, Les Sylphides, Sleeping Beauty and La Valse. Frederick Ashton's choreography is brilliantly executed throughout. This is one evening ballet lovers will enjoy over and over again. 85 minutes, color, 1963.
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In An Evening with the Royal Ballet (1963), Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn, the most famous ballet partnership of the 20th century, dance together in the first two numbers, a dreamily romantic treatment of Les Sylphides, with the choreography by Michel Fokine, and a dazzling pas de deux from Le Corsaire. Les Sylphides is treated as an ensemble number, with full involvement by the Covent Garden company as well as graceful solos by the two stars. Le Corsaire, as choreographed by Nureyev, gives him opportunities to display his remarkable technique but also allows Fonteyn to shine.
Neither appears in Frederick Ashton's choreography for La Valse, which gets to the heart of Ravel's music in a visually impressive treatment. In "Aurora's Wedding" from Sleeping Beauty choreographed by Marius Petipa, Fonteyn dances beautifully with David Blair, an excellent Florimund, though not on the Nureyev level. "Aurora's Wedding" has many brilliant solos and, like La Valse, is an impressive showcase for the company. --Joe McLellan
- Aspect Ratio : 1.33:1
- MPAA rating : Unrated (Not Rated)
- Product Dimensions : 7.5 x 5.38 x 0.6 inches; 3.35 ounces
- Director : Anthony Asquith, Anthony Havelock-Allan
- Media Format : Multiple Formats, NTSC, Color, Classical
- Run time : 1 hour and 25 minutes
- Release date : July 31, 2001
- Actors : Margot Fonteyn, Rudolf Nureyev, David Blair, Antoinette Sibley, Graham Usher
- Language : English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
- Studio : Kultur Video
- Country of Origin : USA
- Number of discs : 1
