Raymonda [Blu-ray]

beautiful dance overall, but one mistake from the video editor
I loved the dance, the costume, and production overall. However, when Raymonda was doing the most important solo dance during the last act, the video editor decided to cut a third of the screen and insert the piano players hands which I thought was very distracting.

A fine recreation of the original 1898 concept
This ballet was written in 1898 with choreography by Petipa. At that time the fashion was for medieval settings featuring spectacular pageant set-piece displays by the corps de ballet as the main focus of attention. It is important to realise that this production aims to be a recreation of the original and should only be considered on that basis therefore.

In order to faithfully recreate the original 1898 concept an enormous amount of care and expense has been lavished on this production and much research and time has been spent investigating and studying the original illustrations and instructions as regards costuming, staging and choreography. The final results can only be described as being a total success and as such completely recreate an earlier age in ballet history.

The set piece corps de ballet scenarios in this production are totally impressive in both delivery and panoramic effect when seen with the 1898 concept in mind. The camera work supports this...

Dated but a Great Show
Since I received the La Scala Raymonda (2011) I have been doing a Raymonda binge. I've been playing each of the several versions I have several times each. This way I have compared and contrasted each version and evaluated the lot of them and my reaction to them over a period of time. The La Scala is the latest and purports to be a recreation of the original choreography of M. Petipa to the music of A. Glazunov. Marius Petipa is the grand ringmaster of classical ballet as we know it. He did over 50 choreographic productions including the three Tchaikovskys, a version of Giselle, Paquita, Don Quixote, Raymonda, La Bayadere etc. etc. The music for this one was done by the then unknown Aleksandr Glazunov and it remains as one of the most noted of his works. As noted by other reviwers the story line is very thin and is based on a tale from the Bordeaux region of France about a knight from there who joins a Hungarian King Andrei II in the First Crusade. Before going off he gives the...

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