ballet works

Anna Karenina – A Ballet by John Neumeier [DVD or Blu-ray Video]

Thomas Mann once named Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina “the greatest social novel of world literature.” When reading the novel, John Neumeier was deeply fascinated by Tolstoy’s work, stating: “My challenge was therefore to give true life and relevance to the story by selecting key emotional situations and essential characters to fit within the framework of an evening-long ballet.” (C Major)

2DVD# 763108

1Blu-ray# 763204

$37.99

$42.99

Adam: Orfa – Romantic Ballet in Two Acts

Orfa was Adolphe Adam’s penultimate ballet, with an intriguing scenario based on Nordic mythology. Adam’s writing shows increasingly vivid orchestral imagination, drama and tonal colour, with roles for several instrumental soloists. This world premiere recording uses a new edition copied from Adam’s original manuscript score held at the Bibliothèque nationale de France. (Naxos)

1CD# 8574478 $13.99

Tchaikovsky: Sleeping Beauty [DVD or Blu-ray Video]

Marius Petipas and Pyotr I. Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty was a global success in 1890. Christian Spuck worked with the Ballett Zurich on a new version of the classic that challenges cherished cliches. Recorded live at the Opernhaus Zurich in June 2022. (Accentus)

1DVD# ACC20586

$38.99

1Blu-ray# ACC10586 $32.49

Prokofiev: Cinderella & Romeo and Juliet Ballet Suites

Of the major works of Sergei Prokofiev, none (apart perhaps from Peter and the Wolf ) have become so well loved by a wide audience as the ballets Cinderella and Romeo and Juliet. Ian Scott and his producer Malcolm McMillan have added a further 12 movements from the ballets, which has resulted in a lovely collection of pieces that are at once very familiar but also heard in a completely new light. (Divine Art)

1CD# DDA25232

$18.99

Saint-Saëns: Dances & Ballet Music

This album presents a selection of Saint-Saëns’ incidental music and music from his operas. From Samson et Dalila – the only one of Saint-Saëns’ operas to remain in the repertory – we hear two memorable and adrenalin-fueled dances including the famous Bacchanale. Henry VIII drew from the composer music of regal solemnity with plenty of colorful scoring, praised by Gounod. (Naxos)

1CD# 8574463

$13.99

Teatro alla Scala Ballets [DVD or Blu-ray Video]

The present release showcases five outstanding ballets from the legendary Teatro alla Scala. First is Romeo and Juliet The stars of this masterly performance are Roberto Bolle and Misty Copeland, together for the first time in this ballet. Next is The Sleeping Beauty which received fantastic reviews. (C Major)

7DVD# 758608

5Blu-ray# 758704

$85.99

$85.99

Lord Berners: Ballet Music – Les Sirènes –Cupid and Psyche

Lord Berners excelled in the ballet medium where he enjoyed collaborations with leading choreographers and conductors with whom his natural flair for spectacle and design could be explored to the full. Cupid and Psyche was not a critical success but its music transcended weaknesses in the scenario and the suite is both orchestrally deft and thematically memorable. (Naxos)

1CD# 8574370 $13.99

The Snow Queen / The Scottish Ballet [DVD or Blu-ray Video]

Scottish Ballet’s 50th anniversary year came to a spectacular close with the world premiere of The Snow Queen. This glittering new production is inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s much-loved tale – which was also the basis for Disney’s Frozen. It is set to the music of RimskyKorsakov, performed live by the full Scottish Ballet Orchestra. (Opus Arte)

1DVD# OA 1329D $29.99

1Blu-ray# OA BD7284D $39.99

Tchaikovsky: Complete Ballets / Royal Philharmonic [5 CDs]

Brilliant Classics’ exciting 5-album sets series: Quintessence features compact box sets containing essential core classical repertoire in outstanding performances. A great series at an unbeatable price! This release features the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra performing Tchaikovsky’s complete ballets. (Brilliant Classics)

5CD# BRI96195 $26.99

Delibes: Ballet Suites / Royal Scottish National Orchestra

Neeme Järvi returns to the Royal Scottish National Orchestra for a dazzling album of suites from the ballets Sylvia, La Source, and Coppélia by Delibes. On this album Neeme Järvi adds several additional movements to expand upon the suites which appeared in Delibes’s lifetime. (Chandos)

1SACD# CHSA 5257 $19.99