The Sleeping Beauty. RB. 2006.

Watch The Sleeping Beauty Here:

http://youtu.be/G3FR_YabNXk

Tchaikovsky's The Sleeping Beauty is one of the best loved of classical ballets,
combining in a single work all the enchantment and virtuosity that ballet has to offer.
The royal court, the panoramic journey of the Prince to the overgrown castle,
and the great celebratory dances of the happy ending (in which other famous fairytale figures appear)
are all brought to life by the luscious designs of this celebrated production,
created in 1946 for the The Royal Ballet. The inspired performances of its revival for the 75th anniversary
of the Company in 2006, together with a magnificent High Definition recording,
make this a superb tribute to The Royal Ballet’s unique style and visual splendour.

Princess Aurora: Alina Cojocaru
Prince Florimund: Federico Bonelli
King Florestan XXIV: Christopher Saunders
His Queen: Elizabeth McGorian
Cattalabutte: Alastair Marriott
Carabosse: Genesia Rosato
Lilac Fairy: Marianela Nuñez

The Royal Ballet
The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

Choreographer: Marius Petipa
Additional choreography: Ashton / Dowell / Wheeldon
Conductor: Valeriy Ovsyanikov

Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London on 5th December 2006.

The Nutcracker. RB. 2001.

Watch The Nutcracker Here:

http://youtu.be/ji9SWgnsizo

Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker ballet has had many facelifts over the years.
Peter Wright's Royal Ballet production is among the most imaginative,
bringing together the narrative and fantasy aspects with relish.
The first half of Act 1 is made busy but low-key,
moving up a gear with the majestic Christmas tree "Transformation Scene",
and ending with a gorgeous "Waltz of the Snowflakes".
Act 2 decks out the lengthy sequence of character dances with vivid stage sets,
culminating in a moving reconciliation between the magician Drosselmeyer and his nephew.
Anthony Dowell brings authority, Ivan Putrov enthusiasm to their respective roles;
Alina Cojocaru is sympathetic as Clara,
and Miyako Yoshida steals the show as the Sugar-Plum Fairy.
The Royal Opera House Orchestra take time to adjust to Evgeny Svetlanov's spacious tempos,
but the showpieces have real emotional force.
A Nutcracker for today, and a Christmas treat for all ages.