Description
Tchaikovsky's The Sleeping Beauty - Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet DVD
UPC: 089948429593
Product Features
- Title: The Sleeping Beauty
- Composer: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
- Company: Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet
- Lead Cast:Conductor: Robert Irving
- Princess Aurora: Dame Margot Fonteyn
- Prince Florimund: Michael Somes
- The Lilac Fairy: Dame Beryl Grey
- Carabosse: Sir Frederick Ashton
- The Bluebird: Brian Shaw
- Princess Florine: Rowena Jackson
- Choreography Adapted by: Sir Frederick Ashton
- Original Choreography: Marius Petipa
- Recording Date: December 12, 1955
- Television Broadcast: Producers' Showcase Telecast
- Picture Format: NTSC, 4:3 Black & White
- Sound Format: Mono
- Region Code: 0 (Worldwide)
- Run Time: 66 minutes
- Publisher: Video Artists International (VAI)
Overview
This historic 1955 television broadcast of Tchaikovsky's "The Sleeping Beauty" showcases the elegance and precision of the Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet with an iconic cast led by Dame Margot Fonteyn as Princess Aurora and Michael Somes as Prince Florimund. Choreographed for television by Sir Frederick Ashton, the performance preserves the grand artistry of Marius Petipa's original choreography, capturing classic ballet moments like the Rose Adagio, the Vision Scene, and the Grand Pas de Deux.
Margot Fonteyn’s portrayal of Aurora remains a celebrated interpretation, with her lyrical grace and precision making it one of her defining roles. Supported by the Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet, under the musical direction of Robert Irving, this production is a treasured piece of ballet history, bringing the majesty of Petipa’s choreography and Tchaikovsky’s score to the small screen during the Golden Age of television.
Interesting Facts
- Golden Age Broadcast: Originally broadcast on Producers' Showcase in 1955, this telecast is a rare artifact from a time when ballet was prominently featured on American television.
- Fonteyn’s Signature Role: Known for her lyrical elegance, Margot Fonteyn’s portrayal of Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty became one of her most iconic roles.
- Unique Choreographic Adaptation: While preserving much of Petipa’s original vision, Sir Frederick Ashton adapted the choreography for the television medium, making this a unique version.
- Ballet in Black & White: This black-and-white recording captures the classic mid-20th-century ballet aesthetic, emphasizing movement and form over color.
Track Highlights
- Act I: Aurora’s entrance and the famous Rose Adagio, showcasing Fonteyn’s balance and poise.
- Act II: The Vision Scene, where Prince Florimund glimpses Aurora, creating an ethereal, dreamlike quality.
- Act III: The Bluebird Pas de Deux and the Grand Pas de Deux, concluding the ballet with iconic sequences that highlight Petipa’s choreographic legacy.
Publisher
Video Artists International (VAI)
Hashtags
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