Stars of the Russian Ballet / Galina Ulanova, Maya Plisetskaya, Vakhtang Chabukiani, Boris Asafiev

The picture you see on the cover of "Stars of the Russian Ballet" is Maya Plisetskaya dancing the part of Zarema, the favorite concubine of Khan Girzi, in the ballet "The Fountain of Bakhchisarai". There really is such a fountain. It is located at the Bakhchisarai Palace in the Crimea near Yalta. It is known as the Fountain of Tears. The ballet is adapted from a poem by Alexander Pushkin written in 1823. The music is by Boris Asafiev. Of course, what makes this ballet such a collectable work is the fact that two prima ballerinas of the Bolshoi Ballet are dancing in it together. The only known filmed record of both Galina Ulanova and Maya Plisetskaya dancing together. Both these ballerinas were awarded the title Prima Ballerina Assoluta, but not at the same time (I don't think). I think Galina had left the Bolshoi before Maya was given that title. If you really love Maya Plisetsksya, get her autobiography.... I, Maya Plisetskaya ....and don't be afraid to get a used copy if can't afford a new one. I bought a very good used hard back copy at a very good price through Amazon. Read my review on it. By the way, only TEN ballerinas in the entire history of ballet have been honored with the title PRIMA BALLERINA ASSOLUTA. FOUR of those so honored are still alive, they are Maya Plisetskaya, Anneli Elisabeth Alhanko, Alessandra Ferri, and Alicia Alonso. The other SIX are, Pierina Legnani (the first), Mathilde Kachessenska (the second), Galina Ulanova, Margo Fonteyn, Philis Spira, and Alicia Markova. (Ref. Wikipedia)The first ballet on this disc is Swan Lake, a shortened version, only 35/40 minutes, but uses two ballerinas in the roles of Odette/Odile. Galina Ulanova is Odette and Natalia Dudinskaya is Odile. It was a depiction of Odile as a bird and not a swan. Maya Plisetskaya tells us that the Russians always depicted Odile as a black bird until the West began depicting her as a black swan. They then, began depicting her as a swan also. Rothbart is depicted as an Owl. The transformation of Odette the swan into Odette the human was trick photography of perfection, you could not see any overlapping of the scenes. It is a typical Russian ending with the destruction of the evil Rothbart and the transformation of the white swans into beautiful maidens.The third ballet is The Flames of Paris, which I think the the Soviets consider is propaganda at it's best. There are several very good solos from Vakhtang Chabnukiani and Musa Gottlieb, neither of whom I have heard of before. This music is also by Boris Asafiev.There are three good little ballets on this disc, which has a running time of 82 minutes, only fair color, fair sound they claim to be Dolby 2.0, but which I doubt. Both the Bolshoi and Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theatre are featured on this disc. It is worth the price of admission to see Galina and Maya in the same ballet......Richard.

Collectively the reviewers have given potential buyers an excellent summary of the arguments pro and con of buying (as opposed to watching only) a technologically dated view of star performers of a day now past. If you are gratified by seeing talented dancers of an earlier period do their stuff under far from the best conditions available today, then...at this price........grab the disc and run...after paying...of course. On the other hand, if it depresses you to see some of the best of the day, being captured on film looking measurably less able than they here appear.............avoid this disc. In any case, I need remind none of our sophisticated audience, that the content in every case carries with it a propagandists outlook intended to tilt you in a certain direction. (I don't imagine any of our sophisticated group will be moved as might a captive student during the Stalinist and Immediate Post-Stalinist era's.

This is a DVD for persons who are passionate about Ballet and are familiar with the form and of course, the interpretation and music. It is indeed rare to see a modern production of the Fountain of Bachisarai and no great interpretations of the Flame of Paris exist as of now on DVD to the best of my knowledge. This makes this DVD even more special....what more can you ask for than Plisetskaya and Ulanova on the same stage, that too at the pinnacle of their careers? Never mind the tacky Soviet animation marauding in the middle... Never mind the overt Sovietski stuff written all over the Flame of Paris... The artistes and their technique is more than just great.This collector's item could have featured more than just 82 minutes of the stuff. That is my only grouse. There are ever so many vintage films of the greats of Soviet Ballet that are yet to be made available on DVD. I guess they are just waiting to cash in on them little by little.A collector's connoisseur's item it is.. not meant for those who insist on a 5.1 or DTH or 1080p resolution.

Another gem for those interested in what happened in the balletworld under the "iron curtain".THE FOUNTAIN OF BAKHCHISARAI and THE FLAMES OF PARISare seldom seen in the West so it is good to have access to originalworks emanating from Russia performed by amazing dancers whohave become legends in Ballet world.SWAN LAKE is presented with the original story line and features twowonderful exponents in their roles as Odette/Odile. Dudinskaya asOdile is magnificent and I would have bought this simply to see that.Given the era in which these were staged, the costumes,choreography, sets and dancers are nothing short of amazing.Another treasure for ballet lovers but the mere enthusiasts mightfind some of the work repetitive in the 2 lesser known ballets ... hence the 4 stars.

This is a rather tantalising glimpse of Maya Plisetskaya's and Galina Ulanova's art, leaving one unsatisfied. Very short extracts from Swan Lake, Fountain of Bakhchisarai, and The Flames of Paris, not making sense of any of them, and not really doing justice to either of the two famous ballerinas.

RARE PIECES VERY DRAMATIC UNUSUAL MUSIC AND OF COURSE FIRST RATE CLASSICAL RUSSIAN BALLET WITH RATHER RISQUE COSTUMES AT TIMES

Rather a poor copy of the classical primas of the past. The dance was good - I suppose we cannot expect any more from such old recordings...

It was different than what I expected, but enjoyed it none the less.

Really pleased

届くまではリージョン１の商品だと思っていたが、リージョンフリーでNTSCなので、普通のブルーレイレコーダーで見ることができました。白鳥の湖、バフチサライの泉、パリの炎のダイジェスト映像であるが、ウラノワ、プリセツカヤの見たことがない映像を楽しめます。画質は、ビデオをDVDに起こしたような感じで、決していいとは言えませんが。かなりレアものたと思います。