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Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker / Collier, Dowell, Royal Ballet Covent Garden | 
 enlarge | Director: John Vernon (ii)
Actors: Anthony Dowell, Guy Niblett, Lesley Collier, Jonathan Cope, Michael Coleman
Studio: Kultur Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $29.99
Buy New: $15.48
You Save: $14.51 (48%)
New (11) Used (4) from $15.48
Rating:  11 reviews
Sales Rank: 65076
Format: Classical, Color, Dvd-video, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 99 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: D1429D
ISBN: 0769714293
UPC: 032031142992
EAN: 9780769714295
ASIN: B00008AOR5
Theatrical Release Date: 1985
Release Date: April 15, 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand new Item. CD, DVD, Book, VHS more than 400 000 titles to choose from. ALL days Low Price !
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Description
Fantasy and magic are the essential ingredients of The Nutcracker, and Tchaikovsky's imaginative score helps bring to life the fantasy world of E.T.A. Hoffmann's enchanting story of "The Nutcracker and The Mouse King." Gennady Rozhdestvensky is the guest conductor who "drew ravishing playing from this most ravishing of Tchaikovsky's ballet scores." (Guardian) Though the original scenario for The Nutcracker was considered to be fatally flawed, this magical work has survived to become one of the firmest favorites in the ballet repertory. This production by the Artistic Director of Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet, Peter Wright, with the help of Tchaikovsky ballet expert Roland John Wiley, attempts to rescue from far-flung archives surviving evidence of the original Ivanov/Sergueyev staging, combined with some captivating modern stage effects.
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| Customer Reviews:
 A Christmas thing! February 8, 2008
Shirley Wardzinski (Indianapolis, IN USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
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!
 In defense of Sir Anthony Dowell February 19, 2007
A. L. Cru (NY USA)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
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?
A pretty good performance December 22, 2005
Scott D. Richardson (Oklahoma City, OK USA)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
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.
 The Original Version of "The Nutcracker" March 8, 2005
MrLopez2681 (USA)
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
"The Nutcracker" was first staged for the Russian Czar's Imperial Ballet of St. Petersburg by choreographer Lev Ivanov (choreographer of the famous 'lakeside scene' in "Swan Lake") in 1892. The ballet was originally meant to be choreographed by the great 19th century ballet master Marius Petipa (creator of "Don Quixote", "La Bayadere", "The Sleeping Beauty", "Swan Lake" among others), however he fell ill before rehearsal began and the responsabilty of the dances was given to his assistant, Lev Ivanov. Petipa commissioned the ballet from Tchaikovsky in 1891 after thier earlier success with "The Sleeping Beauty". Petipa wrote down detailed instructions in a 'bar for bar' manner. Tchaikovsky fullfilled his task with one of the ultimate master works of theater. The ballet was not a phenominal succes at its 1892 premiere, like its predecessor was, due largly in part to the un-dramatic libretto, not typical of the time. It was revised countless times in Russia, though it has never become the staple it is in the West.
Here we have the Royal Ballet's revival and restoration of the original staging, as close to it as possible anyhow. The principals are exquisite: Leslie Collier as the Sugar Plum Fairy, and Anthony Dowel as her Suitor. Collier is precise and quite the little powerhouse. Dowell is Noble and beautiful as her elegant suitor. The staging is great, and the choreography is well done with much taste. The national dances in the second act are obviously not true to the original (Im sure the original creators would have done a better job!) in many respects they do not fulfill their potential. But over all this production is a good interpretation of this ballet. For a more impressive second act, the New York City Ballet's production of Balanchine's "Nutcracker" (with Mcauley Culkin) is a great companion. Four Stars!
 One of the Best Nutcracker Videos, But I could complain! December 7, 2003
Josh Rappaport (Harrisburg PA, 17110)
6 out of 45 found this review helpful
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!
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