Rating: 
Summary: A Jewel of a Russian Production-A tribute to Mr Liepa
Review: Andris Liepa is a truly beautiful person and has captured the essence of his warm and giving personality in this benefit production in his late father's memory in which he showcases not only his sister with her dramatic acting skills which rival her dancing ability, but also his exquisitely beautiful wife. The staging, costumes and music are exceptionally well presented and serve to further accentuate the techniques of the fine dancers in these classic presentations so rarely performed. Yes, it is different from our American Ballet and Yes, it is magnificent! What a wonderful gift this would be for anyone with the slightest appreciation of dance. An added treat are the clips taken from rehearsals which I viewed first but would be appreciated and informative afterwards also.
Rating: 
Summary: FIREBIRD is a solid ballet entertainment
Review: Featuring some of the stars of Russia's famed Bolshoi ballet company, RETURN OF THE FIREBIRD is an artistic treat for both the ear and the eye. Directed by and starring famed dancer Andris Leipa, this movie features 3 stories: Stravinsky's PETRUSHKA and THE FIREBIRD, along with Rimsky-Korsakov's SCHEHERAZADE. The opening PETRUSHKA segment, with its balance of puppet-drama amidst the goings-on at a country fair, is probably the least enjoyable as the more interesting story of the romantic triangle of the clown puppet, Petrushka, his sweetheart, and a villainous Moor tends to take a back seat to the more general action. It's a shame as Leipa is wonderful as the title character. With arms akimbo and a hang-dog expression, he engages our sympathy. THE FIREBIRD is more of a fantastic piece with its emphasis on flashy visuals and special light effects. The wonderfully bright and spooky costumes compliment the solid performances of the entire cast. This section perfectly captures the spirit of the old Russian fairy tale. The final segment, SCHEHERAZADE, is more of a prologue to the classic Arabian Nights tale, as it tells the story of a powerful Sultan and the wife who cheats on him. When he finds out, he massacres the servants who abetted the affair, while his wife commits suicide. Leipa, is not at his best in his small role as the Sultan. In fact, he seems almost stuck in a mopey mode during the brief time he's onscreen. Fortunately, sister Iilze Leipa turns in a stunning performance as the faithless wife. From her opening appearance lounging in her tent to her dying moments at the end, Ms. Leipa exudes a raw-edged sexuality that is mesmerizing to watch, which makes this section a wonderful final act to this solid film. Overall, this is a top-notch film that will delight ballet fans everywhere which, despite its minor flaws, is certainly worth recommending.
Rating:
Summary: FIREBIRD is a solid ballet entertainment
Review: Featuring some of the stars of Russia's famed Bolshoi ballet company, RETURN OF THE FIREBIRD is an artistic treat for both the ear and the eye. Directed by and starring famed dancer Andris Leipa, this movie features 3 stories: Stravinsky's PETRUSHKA and THE FIREBIRD, along with Rimsky-Korsakov's SCHEHERAZADE. The opening PETRUSHKA segment, with its balance of puppet-drama amidst the goings-on at a country fair, is probably the least enjoyable as the more interesting story of the romantic triangle of the clown puppet, Petrushka, his sweetheart, and a villainous Moor tends to take a back seat to the more general action. It's a shame as Leipa is wonderful as the title character. With arms akimbo and a hang-dog expression, he engages our sympathy. THE FIREBIRD is more of a fantastic piece with its emphasis on flashy visuals and special light effects. The wonderfully bright and spooky costumes compliment the solid performances of the entire cast. This section perfectly captures the spirit of the old Russian fairy tale. The final segment, SCHEHERAZADE, is more of a prologue to the classic Arabian Nights tale, as it tells the story of a powerful Sultan and the wife who cheats on him. When he finds out, he massacres the servants who abetted the affair, while his wife commits suicide. Leipa, is not at his best in his small role as the Sultan. In fact, he seems almost stuck in a mopey mode during the brief time he's onscreen. Fortunately, sister Iilze Leipa turns in a stunning performance as the faithless wife. From her opening appearance lounging in her tent to her dying moments at the end, Ms. Leipa exudes a raw-edged sexuality that is mesmerizing to watch, which makes this section a wonderful final act to this solid film. Overall, this is a top-notch film that will delight ballet fans everywhere which, despite its minor flaws, is certainly worth recommending.
Rating: 
Summary: A ravishing "Sheherazade", but as for the rest...
Review: I had this DVD imported from England in order to be able to see "Firebird" and "Scheherazade", for both ballets were unkown to me at the time. Shortly afterwards, I was able to obtain the "Firebird" from the Royal Ballet, and I was amazed at its superlative qualities. What makes this Russian version inferior is the dated concept of sets and cinematography. The camera frequently performs travellings that disturb our view of the dancing. The sets remind me of Vincent Price horror films of the 40's; the stage is cluttered with useless props (spiders, bats and the like...) and the costumes are rather heavily embroidered. I guess this reflects the Russian taste for rich materials, but one has to compare it to London's staging - which is truer to the original concept - to realize that rich fabrics don't necessarily make rich costumes. Ilse Liepa's make up is so heavy as to be embarassing (she plays the title role). Mr Andris Liepa - who directed the films - does not have much do do... there are no solos or variations for him, but his partnering is elegant without being too refined. As for "Petrushka", there are two other stagings available, and I believe they are both far superior to this one. In Mr. Liepa's chcracterization, Petrushka is a pathetic creature, with no sense of human dignity. After all, this puppet is supposed to have a human soul... The version staged by the Joffrey Ballet with Rudolf Nureyev, and the version of the Paris Opera are to be preferred. Which leaves us with "Scheherazade". As there are no other versions to compare, I must admit that I liked this one. Ms Ilse Liepa is stunningly beautiful! The role was originally created in 1910 by a rather poor dancer - Ida Rubinstein - who was better known for her beauty than her dancing, so Mr. Fokine coreographed her part with restraint. The great surprize is the dancing of Mr. Victor Yeremenko, a former dancer at the Sevchenko Ballet in the Ukraine. He dances the role of the Golden Slave, created by the mythic Nijinsky. And what a formidable dancer he is! Of course, there are no recorded documents of Nijinsky's performance, but I believe Mr. Yeremenko does an amirable job. His dancing shows him to be able to diplay both lusty eroticism in the pas de deux and a frantic desperation at the final sequence, when the slaves are murdered. The role of the fat eunuch is poorly danced. The performer is obviously slim with a lot of padding in his costume to make him look fat. Also, instead of being mischivious, he's merely comical, which detracts fom the psychology of the character. The corps de ballet is fine, with the male dancers performing vigorously, in marked contrast to the girl's langorous movements. The coreography seems to have been tampered with. Cyril Beaumont - who was able to see the original productions of the Diaghilev company - claims that the third movement of the score was not used, but here the full score is danced. Who may have coreographed the extra numbers? Was it Isabelle Fokine, who went to Russia in the 90's to restore her grandfather's coreographies? In "Scheherazade", the stunning original sets by Léon Bakst have been done in three-dimensions in order to admit coreography in the round. I don't think this was a good idea, as in the original there was an illusion of three-dimensionality, whereas in the film the camera travells liberaly through the stage, often with close-ups. Although less cluttered than in "Firebird", I still find some of the props obtrusive.
Rating:
Summary: A ravishing "Sheherazade", but as for the rest...
Review: I had this DVD imported from England in order to be able to see "Firebird" and "Scheherazade", for both ballets were unkown to me at the time. Shortly afterwards, I was able to obtain the "Firebird" from the Royal Ballet, and I was amazed at its superlative qualities. What makes this Russian version inferior is the dated concept of sets and cinematography. The camera frequently performs travellings that disturb our view of the dancing. The sets remind me of Vincent Price horror films of the 40's; the stage is cluttered with useless props (spiders, bats and the like...) and the costumes are rather heavily embroidered. I guess this reflects the Russian taste for rich materials, but one has to compare it to London's staging - which is truer to the original concept - to realize that rich fabrics don't necessarily make rich costumes. Ilse Liepa's make up is so heavy as to be embarassing (she plays the title role). Mr Andris Liepa - who directed the films - does not have much do do... there are no solos or variations for him, but his partnering is elegant without being too refined. As for "Petrushka", there are two other stagings available, and I believe they are both far superior to this one. In Mr. Liepa's chcracterization, Petrushka is a pathetic creature, with no sense of human dignity. After all, this puppet is supposed to have a human soul... The version staged by the Joffrey Ballet with Rudolf Nureyev, and the version of the Paris Opera are to be preferred. Which leaves us with "Scheherazade". As there are no other versions to compare, I must admit that I liked this one. Ms Ilse Liepa is stunningly beautiful! The role was originally created in 1910 by a rather poor dancer - Ida Rubinstein - who was better known for her beauty than her dancing, so Mr. Fokine coreographed her part with restraint. The great surprize is the dancing of Mr. Victor Yeremenko, a former dancer at the Sevchenko Ballet in the Ukraine. He dances the role of the Golden Slave, created by the mythic Nijinsky. And what a formidable dancer he is! Of course, there are no recorded documents of Nijinsky's performance, but I believe Mr. Yeremenko does an amirable job. His dancing shows him to be able to diplay both lusty eroticism in the pas de deux and a frantic desperation at the final sequence, when the slaves are murdered. The role of the fat eunuch is poorly danced. The performer is obviously slim with a lot of padding in his costume to make him look fat. Also, instead of being mischivious, he's merely comical, which detracts fom the psychology of the character. The corps de ballet is fine, with the male dancers performing vigorously, in marked contrast to the girl's langorous movements. The coreography seems to have been tampered with. Cyril Beaumont - who was able to see the original productions of the Diaghilev company - claims that the third movement of the score was not used, but here the full score is danced. Who may have coreographed the extra numbers? Was it Isabelle Fokine, who went to Russia in the 90's to restore her grandfather's coreographies? In "Scheherazade", the stunning original sets by Léon Bakst have been done in three-dimensions in order to admit coreography in the round. I don't think this was a good idea, as in the original there was an illusion of three-dimensionality, whereas in the film the camera travells liberaly through the stage, often with close-ups. Although less cluttered than in "Firebird", I still find some of the props obtrusive.
Rating:
Summary: Magnificent
Review: If you love Russian fairy tales you will love this dvd. Exquisite production, gorgeous graphics and opening credits. Beautifully reconstructed ballets as only the Russians, with their understanding of this style, can create. If you love magic, buy this dvd!
Rating:
Summary: A nice treat
Review: In October 2004 I was in Riga, Latvia and saw the live performance of these three ballets by the "Russian Ballet" company. Very impressive performance. I bought the DVD when I returned to the United States and comparing it to the live performance I can say that this DVD is a rare treat. I highly recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: One awful way to know two masterpieces
Review: It's curious how russians have difficulty to handle Stravinsky's work. Maybe a kind of sentimentalism, inherent to russians has not to do with Stravinsky's aesthetic. The fact that Stravinsky's work was for a long time forbidden in Russia can be a reason too for that lack of syntony. I can feel this even in recordings of great conductors as Gergiev and Svetlanov.In terms of dance the work of Stravinsky was developed in western theatres, always with people linked with avant garde .The comunist Russia was very conservative in his way of thinking dance. I think that some works like Tchaikowsky's Ballets are perfectly suited for this conceptions, but works with a more modern conception like Petrushka ,and even the more ancients works look ,with this kind of Camera, Sets and "special effects" ( the shining of the Firebird and the effects in slow motions are horrible !!!)very artificial.The reconstructions are one important
way to know better these works so important to the history. That was the reason of my interest in this DVD. But I was deceived to see a Fokine's Choreography disturbed with a always moving camera and a very large studio ambience.It is impossible in some scenes to know exactly what the "corps de ballet" is dancing. And the Set of Petrushka's Room ( The Second Tableau of teh Ballet) is so large that I can't feel the suffering of the character .
In musical terms the Orchestra sounds very well in the Firebird and Sheherazade ( that was sadly abridged by Fokine for his choreograpics purposes). But in Petrushka it sounds like a Korsakow music. Nothing to do with the change of style betweenn the two scores.
In terms of a reconstruction this is only a fragment of a very important document.
Rating:
Summary: These Ballets Sound Great
Review: The choreography is strong on pantomime, less strong on dance, but presents three ballets that are rare or otherwise non-existent on home video. The greatest strength of the DVD is the audio, which is well played and has great presence. One need not be a balletomane to enjoy this release. A friend of mine (not a ballet person) sampled the disc before I got it home -- and I am still trying to get it here!
Rating:
Summary: These Ballets Sound Great
Review: The choreography is strong on pantomime, less strong on dance, but presents three ballets that are rare or otherwise non-existent on home video. The greatest strength of the DVD is the audio, which is well played and has great presence. One need not be a balletomane to enjoy this release. A friend of mine (not a ballet person) sampled the disc before I got it home -- and I am still trying to get it here!
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