The Nutcracker. RB. 2009.

Watch The Nutcracker Here:

http://youtu.be/iJD-3cidVQs

This all-time ballet favourite, in which young Clara is swept into a fantasy adventure when one of her Christmas presents comes to life,
is at its most enchanting in Peter Wright's glorious production as fresh as ever in its 25th year.
Tchaikovsky's ravishing score, period designs by Julia Trevelyan Oman (including an ingenious magical Christmas tree),
an exquisite Sugar Plum Fairy (Miyako Yoshida) and chivalrous Prince (Steven McRae), the mysterious Drosselmeyer (Gary Avis)
and vibrant dancing by The Royal Ballet make for a captivating performance.

The Sugar Plum Fairy – Miyako Yoshida
Nephew / Nutcracker – Ricardo Cervera / Steven McRae
The Prince – Steven McRae
Drosselmeyer – Gary Avis

The Royal Ballet
The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Koen Kessels, conductor

Peter Wright, choreographer and director
(after Lev Ivanov)

Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, November and December 2009.

La Bayadere. RB. 2009.

Watch La Bayadere Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yYhQwZzCUg

Marius Petipa’s exotic ballet, set in legendary India, is a story of love, death and vengeful judgement.
Natalia Makarova’s sumptuous recreation of Petipa’s choreography,
with atmospheric sets by Pier Luigi Samaritini and beautiful costumes by Yolanda Sonnabend,
stars Tamara Rojo as the Bayadère (temple dancer) Nikiya, Carlos Acosta as Solor,
and Marianela Nuñez as Gamzatti whose alluring presence challenges Solor’s love for Nikiya.

Solar: Carlos Acosta
Gamzatti: Marianela Nuñez
Nikiya: Tamara Rojo
The High Brahmin: Gary Avis
Rajah: Christopher Saunders
Magdaveya: Kenta Kura
Solor’s Friend: Valeri Hristov

Conductor: Valeriy Ovsyanikov
Choreographer: Natalia Makarova

Recorded live from the Royal Opera House, January 2009

Ondine. RB. 2009.

Watch Ondine Here:

http://youtu.be/2fxIov8TP6g

Miyako Yoshida dances the title role originally created for Margot Fonteyn in
the hauntingly beautiful underwater world of Ondine, vividly brought to life by The Royal Ballet.
Frederick Ashton’s shimmering choreography, Lila de Nobili’s impressionistic designs
and Hans Werner Henze’s specially commissioned, vibrant and inventive score,
memorably combine to evoke the many moods and colours of the sea.

Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, June 2009.

Ondine: Miyako Yoshida
Palemon: Edward Watson
Berta: Genesia Rosato
Tirrenio: Ricardo Cervera
A Hermit: Gary Avis

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Conductor: Barry Wordsworth
Choreographer: Frederick Ashton

Winter Dreams. RB. 1992.

Watch Winter Dreams Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fu7RT04vbII

Tales Of Beatrix Potter. RB. 2007.

Watch The Performance Here:

http://youtu.be/vwHR5H97klw

Frederick Ashton (the other major choreographer of the second half of the 20th century) created his ballet Tales of Beatrix Potter 
for the camera in 1971 (still available on DVD).
In 1992, Anthony Dowell created a stage version for the Royal Ballet, revived in 2007 and filmed during the subsequent performances.
David Nice’s essay in the accompanying booklet tells us much about the score,
“composed” by John Lanchberry using Victorian waltzes and ballads and excerpts from various 19th-century ballets (Minkus, Glazunov),
as well as his own version of La fille mal gardée,
to all of which Ashton choreographed a number of gems,
at the same time parodying the 19th-century classics in solos and pas de deux.


Mrs Tittlemouse: Victoria Hewitt
Johnny Town-Mouse: Ricardo Cervera
Mrs Tiggy-Winkle: Jonathan Howells
Jemima Puddle-Duck: Gemma Sykes
The Fox: Gary Avis
Pigling Bland: Bennet Gartside
Pig-Wig: Laura Morera
Aunt Pettitoes: David Pickering
Mr Jeremy Fisher: Zachary Faruque
Tom Thumb: Giacomo Ciriaci
Hunca Munca: Iohna Loots
Peter Rabbit: Joshua Tuifua
Squirrel Nutkin: Steven McRae