The Nutcracker: Bolshoi Ballet. 1989.

Watch The Performance Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbgCa-7IpFI

Tchaikovsky´s ballet The Nutcracker, which was written in 1891, premiered in St. Petersburg in 1892 and
first performed at the Bolshoi Theatre Moscow in 1919, shows no sign of losing its hold as
the No. 1 Christmas ballet. It is based on the fairytale The Nutcracker
and the King of Mice written by E.T.A. Hoffman and tells the story of the young girl Clara,
who dreams of a Nutcracker Prince and a fierce battle against a Mouse King with seven heads.
The ballet is a fantastic tale presented in the choreography of Yuri Grigorovich.
It is filled with beautiful music - the Waltz of the Snow flakes and the pas de deux of Sugar-Plum Fairy
and Prince have become immortal - as well as enchanting costumes and a fabulous setting at the Bolshoi Theatre
in Moscow.

Natalya Arkhipova, Irek Mukhamedow, Yuri Vetrov,
Andrei Sitnikov, Ilze Liepa
The Bolshoi Ballet, The Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra

The Stone Flower. Bolshoi Ballet. 1990.

Watch The Stone Flower Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgx5NC0AMac

First performed at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow in 1954, this ballet draws on the rich heritage of Russian folklore
to tell the tale of the young stonemason Danila, who must choose between his village sweetheart Katerina
and a magical temptress. It is based on several fairy tales from the Urals collected by Pavel Bazhov
and set in the middle of the 19th century.
At the time, Sergei Prokofiev was working within the Soviet Realism doctrine imposed on many Russian artists,
and had to conform to the musical demands of the state within the story and content of his new ballet.
Despite Prokofiev’s resignation after a hard struggle with this political situation,
he had not lost his orchestral brilliance, and the music of this,
his last ballet is full of catchy tunes and a feeling of joyousness,
on par with such scores as Peter and the Wolf and the Symphony No. 7.
The premiere took place in Moscow four years after Prokofiev's death.
At first it was not a great success, however three years later and with new choreography by Yuri Grigorovich,
Prokofiev’s Stone Flower finally bloomed gloriously. The young choreographer simplified the story
and focussed on the art of the dance, and this ballet became his first major success.
The present version retains this choreography from 1957 which has become the standard for Russian ballet companies.
Featured dancers:
Nikolai Dorokhov, Lyudmilla Semenyaka, Nina Semizorova, Yuri Vetrov