The
Art Of John Neumeier: Death In Venice (Tod in Venedig/2004)
+ The Art Of Mats Ek: Giselle (1987/both ArtHaus Musik/Naxos
Blu-rays)
Picture:
B Sound: B Extras: B Concerts: B
The
Art Of John Neumeier: Death In Venice (Tod in Venedig)
I'll
be the first to admit that I don't know too much about classical
ballet, but I will say that The Work of John Neumier is pretty
impressive. From the Hamburg ballet at Festspielhaus Baden-Baden in
2004 comes a beautiful performance of Death In Venice
featuring Lloyd Riggins (Gustav von Aschenbach, Master
Choreographer), Laura Cazzaniga, Ivan Urban, Helene Bouchet and
Elizabeth Cooper on piano. Visually interesting and expertly
choreographed, this is a fun performance to watch.
One
key element is the music - which features Johann Sebastian Bach and
Richard Wagner, both of which help tell a story without words but
rather with dance and interpretive language.
Presented
in 1080i high definition and 1.78:1 widescreen image, the show looks
as good as it can considering the codec and would benefit to a 1080p
switch or higher, but that's the way it was shot. Still, the audio
track sounds great with a PCM 2.0 Stereo track that brings out the
classical music very well.
The
Art Of Mats Ek: Giselle
Another
great release from Art Haus is Swedish choreographer Mats Ek's
Giselle, which has an up-beat tone and backgrounds that remind
me of Dr. Seuss and Pablo Picasso. With a world premiere onstage in
1982 and adapted for TV in 1987, this Cullberg Ballet performance
features music by Adolphe Adam. The cast includes Ana Laguna
(Giselle), Luc Bouy (Albrecht), Yvan Auzely (Hilarion), Vanessa
McIntosh (Bathilde) and Lena Wennergren (Myrtha).
Presented
in 1080i high definition and 1.66:1 full-frame image, the costumes
here are mostly white or light colors which complement the background
colors well. The PCM 2.0 Stereo soundtrack sounds crisp and clear
throughout as well.
Special
Features on both include...
Siddharta
Don
Quichot
Raymonda
Full
color insert booklet/Slipcase
Venice
adds...
Der
andere Liebestod
Another
Liebestod
These
are both great releases for those that enjoy classical music and
ballot.
-
James Lockhart
https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/
