"Allegro" from Beethoven's Sonata for Piano & Violin No. 5 ("Spring")

So beautiful I can't help but post it.

Galina Ulanova's Giselle

More Youtube goodies today! This isn't a complete performance, but it's most of Giselle's dancing in a performance from 1956. Nikolai Fadeyechev is Albrecht, and Rimma Karelskaya is Myrtha. Unfortunately I am unable to embed the videos, so here are the links. Enjoy!

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

A Month in the Country

There is a complete recording of A Month in the Country performed by the original cast on Youtube!

Part 1:



Part 2:



Part 3:



Part 4:



Part 5:

Bolshoi's New Esmeralda Reconstruction!

The wonderful Youtube user Russianballetvideo has posted a feature on the Bolshoi's new production of Esmeralda, which is a reconstruction of Petipa's staging, complete with new, gorgeous sets and costumes. I'm not able to embed the video, but I strongly recommend watching it here!

Fonteyn Again

Continuing with Fonteyn, here she is in one of her most famous roles: Aurora in "The Sleeping Beauty".

Margot Fonteyn

Today we have Margot Fonteyn performing a small part of Frederick Ashton's The Wise Virgins.

Firebird (and new layout)

Altynai Asylmuratova's exotic, dramatic looks are perfect for the title role in Firebird, choreographed by Michel Fokine. I have included three videos below.

Also, I am trying a new layout so as not to cut off the edges of the videos--let me know what you think!

For people who don't like opera

Many people will recognise this first duet from the movie The Shawshank Redemption, in which it is played in a prison. It is gorgeous, especially this version sung by Lucia Popp and Kiri Te Kanawa. If you like this, you will probably also like another duet, this one from "Norma" by Vincenzo Bellini. I have posted "Canzonetta Sull'Aria" first, and "Mira, O Norma" second. Enjoy!



This next video has some rather 1970's outfits and hairstyles...please ignore those and concentrate on the gorgeous singing. Be sure to listen to the whole thing, through the lovely "friendship cabaletta" at the end. :)

The Antony Tudor Ballet Trust

Today I am highlighting another excellent blog: that of the Antony Tudor Ballet Trust. The latest entry is written by Sally Bliss regarding her creation of a Tudor syllabus. I think this is an excellent idea for building knowledge and appreciation of Tudor's works, and if it is done well, the US would produce artists, not just technicians. I am very excited to see what happens, and I hope the syllabus will be on a par with other ballet teaching methods, starting with child beginners and continuing through university age. Read Bliss's post here.

Edda Moser sings Don Giovanni

No one does fury like Edda Moser!