Rating: 
Summary: A delightful experience
Review: Cinderella is certainly not the greatest or most challenging ballet, but it's charming and the music is lovely. This production adds the legendary partnership of Sibley and Dowell, both dancing a their peaks; a first rate supporting cast (watch for a tiny Wayne Sleep, who steals the show from a couple of professional scene stealers, Ashton and Helpmann); beautiful sets and costumes; and, best of all, unfussy photography (that alone rates 5 stars!) that allows the viewer a relatively unimpeded view of the choreography and stage action. Altogether a delightful experience.
Rating: 
Summary: Cameraman in the Balcony
Review: I would like to add to the negative reviews already posted the further comment that I have never yet seen a ballet so consistently photographed from a distance. Wide ensemble shots are often appropriate; but whatever acting and subtler gestural skills the dancers may have exhibited, not to mention costuming details, are almost entirely lost on the viewer. Closeups last for a few seconds at most, as if the filming director were afraid of letting makeup show. This was highly frustrating to me, as both Dowell and Sibley seemed to be in good form. Even in the solos and pas de deux segments the camera hangs awkwardly back as if the cameraman were unfamiliar with the piece and fearful of letting the principals unexpectedly dash off screen. Ballet is a pantomimic art, and a good visual recording should not relegate the viewer to the nosebleed seats.
Rating:
Summary: Cameraman in the Balcony
Review: I would like to add to the negative reviews already posted the further comment that I have never yet seen a ballet so consistently photographed from a distance. Wide ensemble shots are often appropriate; but whatever acting and subtler gestural skills the dancers may have exhibited, not to mention costuming details, are almost entirely lost on the viewer. Closeups last for a few seconds at most, as if the filming director were afraid of letting makeup show. This was highly frustrating to me, as both Dowell and Sibley seemed to be in good form. Even in the solos and pas de deux segments the camera hangs awkwardly back as if the cameraman were unfamiliar with the piece and fearful of letting the principals unexpectedly dash off screen. Ballet is a pantomimic art, and a good visual recording should not relegate the viewer to the nosebleed seats.
Rating: 
Summary: Beautyful Ballet, Poor Recording
Review: Neither this cast nor performance deserves less than praise. This is a priceless document for any fan of ballet and particularly fans of the Royal Ballet who might know a little about the figures involved. It must have given Helpmann and Sir Freddy huge enjoyment to do their parts knowing they'd forever be preserved on film! I need barely comment on the principals.My only gripe is why did Kultur encode it as Region 1? Most studios don't bother with that sort of stuff for this kind of film. It's a british performance that deserves to be on the shelves in the UK! A "Covent Garden Pioneer" offering. And I say thank you to this American studio for producing it at all! Just a nuisance having to switch over my player. British customers should check their players can be rigged to region 1 before buying.
Rating:
Summary: But why region-encode it?!?!
Review: Neither this cast nor performance deserves less than praise. This is a priceless document for any fan of ballet and particularly fans of the Royal Ballet who might know a little about the figures involved. It must have given Helpmann and Sir Freddy huge enjoyment to do their parts knowing they'd forever be preserved on film! I need barely comment on the principals. My only gripe is why did Kultur encode it as Region 1? Most studios don't bother with that sort of stuff for this kind of film. It's a british performance that deserves to be on the shelves in the UK! A "Covent Garden Pioneer" offering. And I say thank you to this American studio for producing it at all! Just a nuisance having to switch over my player. British customers should check their players can be rigged to region 1 before buying.
Rating: 
Summary: Glamarous as Always
Review: Of Course, the Royal Ballet is glamarous as always. This version of Prokofiev's Cinderella is beautiful to watch, as all of the dancers, not just Sibley and Dowell, but all dance with poise and such elegance that intrigues you to watch every tondue and plie that is made. Cinderella is not my favourite ballet out of all, however, this is one of the best version's I've seen. The music is powerful yet soothing, making the best mix, which is no surprise from Prokofiev. The choreography is mixed with the right touch to flow with the music. Enjoy Royal Ballet's Cinderella!
Rating:
Summary: Glamarous as Always
Review: Of Course, the Royal Ballet is glamarous as always. This version of Prokofiev's Cinderella is beautiful to watch, as all of the dancers, not just Sibley and Dowell, but all dance with poise and such elegance that intrigues you to watch every tondue and plie that is made. Cinderella is not my favourite ballet out of all, however, this is one of the best version's I've seen. The music is powerful yet soothing, making the best mix, which is no surprise from Prokofiev. The choreography is mixed with the right touch to flow with the music. Enjoy Royal Ballet's Cinderella!
Rating:
Summary: Beautyful Ballet, Poor Recording
Review: The first time I wieved this video I was greatly dissapointed and I absolutly hated the music. I couldn't figure out why as it had never bothered me before when seeing the ballet live. I soon came to realize that what bothered me wasn't the ballet or the music but the recording! The sound balance is horrible and does no justice to Prokofiev's vibrant music or the Royal Opera House Orchestra. Some of the filming is rather poor too, at one point during the ball scene the conductors arm gets in the way of the camera ( if only for a second or two).
Tudor's choreography is inventive and challenging to the dancers - the speed and surprising use of familiar vocabulary makes one think of Balanchine, though the style is very different. Anthony Dowell is elegance personified. His dancing is brilliantly smooth and efortless. Antoinette Sibly is gracefull and has a lovely expression but is perhaps at times hindered by the speed to reach her full jump. The four fairies are beautifully perfomed. I highly reccomend this video to any ballet enthusiast for the value of the ballet itself but close your ears partially while viewing it. I most certainly hope they remastered the music for the new DVD releas.
Rating:
Summary: A Classic. Also funny. The children will like it, too.
Review: The Royal Ballet version of `Cinderella' is delicious - and an excellent choice for people who are new to ballet. (More experienced viewers might prefer more taxing choreography.) This particular tape, however, has a terrific cast. It stars Anthony Dowell and Antoinette Sibley as Cinderella and her Prince - while the ugly sisters are brilliantly played by Freddy Ashton (the choreographer) and Robert Helpman. Wayne Sleep is there, too. Oh, and the music is glorious.
Rating:
Summary: A beautiful document rather poorly recorded
Review: This is a typical product of the forties, conservative, elegant and with a reserved sense of humour. Ashton's choreography is very classical in the sense that it's more respectful to tradition than innovative. Antoinette Sibley is a gracious dancer with a limpid technique, but I found Anthony Dowell's dancing rather cold. Frederick Ashton and Robert Helpmann are absolutely hilarious as the jealous sisters. The second act ballroom scene - where Ashton dances with a rather diminutive partner - is a jewell of integrated dance and pantomime. The recording seems to be dated, though. The colors look faded and the sound has been poorly recorded. Also, the story has been shortened. After the ballroom scene the prince - in the original third act - travels to foreign ountries (Arabia and Spain)to find Cinderella. This act has been ommited, which is a pity for it gives an excellent opportunity for character dances. There are four other versions of the ballet. The one choreographed by Maguy marin for the Lyon Opera Ballet is a claustrophobic and anguished piece, recommended to those who are interested in psychoanalysis and the avant-garde. Nureyev's version for the Paris Opéra Ballet has Sylvie Guillem as its main point of interest. Her partner Charles Jude has few chances to dance and Mr. Nureyev doesn't even have a dancing part. The action has been brought to the Hollywood of the twenties.
The Bolshoi version is the closest to the original. Raissa Struchkova gives a rather naive interpretation but her dancing is vigorous yet refined. This version was filmed as a feature film, not in a theater. The sense of humour is rather heavy sometimes. Sound and color are passable. The last version on video I know is of the Sevchenko Ballet from the Ukraine. In my opinion it's the most interesting. Sound and image are finely recorded and the cast, although little known - whoever heard of Alexey Ratmansky? - dances beautifully. It's quite difficult to get, as it was recorded on laser disc.
| 
