Conductor
The ultimate romantic ballet, performed by former Bolshoi Ballet principals Olga Smirnova and Jacopo Tissi, who fled Russia and joined the Dutch National Ballet, where this production is filmed. The young peasant girl Giselle falls in love with Albrecht, a nobleman already betrothed who hides his true identity from her. When she learns the truth, she becomes mad and dies. Against her own will, Giselle joins the Wilis: vengeful spirits of jilted brides who condemn Albrecht to dance until he dies of exhaustion… Giselle touches upon the great and universal romantic themes, and Rachel Beaujean and Ricardo Bustamante’s acclaimed production pays tribute to one of the oldest and greatest works of classical dance.
Conductor
Christopher Wheeldon's acclaimed new Cinderella for the Dutch National Ballet is an imaginative interpretation of a much-loved classic. Inspired by the original Brothers Grimm fairy tale, Wheeldon gives the characters renewed depth and complexity, complementing Prokofiev's celebrated and colorful score. With sets and costumes by the renowned designer Julian Crouch, supported by stunning stage effects, this world premiere production is a truly magical experience, bringing an age-old fairy tale into the 21st century.
Conductor
Tchaikovsky and Petipa's timeless ballet - acknowledged to be the most pure and demanding piece in the classic romantic repertoire – brings out Petipa's rich dance vocabulary with the sparkling virtuosity a superb performance needs. Recorded at Het Muziektheater in Amsterdam with The Dutch National Ballet in 2004. Choreographer Sir Peter Wright's sensitive staging closely reflects Marius Petipa's original work. Philip Prowse's ravishing Baroque sets and costumes add the glamour and grandeur essential to a ballet intended for the court of the Russian Tsar.
