Rudolf Nureyev's revised version of Ludwig Minkus's tuneful 1869 ballet—in which Cervantes's titular knight errant and his squire Sancho Panza help to bring the lovely Kitri and impoverished barber Basilio together, despite Kitri's father's desire to marry her off to a wealthy suitor—is memorably preserved in Nureyev's own lavish 1973 film of an Australia Ballet production (VL-7/12) in which he also starred as Basilio. Manuel Legris's 2016 staging from the Vienna Staatsballett joins Milan's 2014 La Scala mounting (VL-9/16) as an excellent modern recreation of Nureyev's adaptation (Legris danced Basilio under Nureyev's direction at the Paris Ballet, so fidelity to his vision is assured). Maria Yakovleva and Denys Cherevychko are an attractive young couple as Kitri and Basilio, while Kamil Pavelka and Christoph Wenzel prove to be good comic foils as Quixote and Sancho. And the rest of the company make the most of their many vibrant solos, duets, and ensembles, while the Staatsoper Orchestra delivers John Lanchbery's reworking of Minkus's score dynamically under the baton of Kevin Rhodes. Boasting colorful sets and costumes by Nicholas Georgiadis, this is an excellent complement to Nureyev's own film, especially since technically it is far superior. Presented in DTS 5.0 (DTS-HD 5.0 on the Blu-ray edition) and PCM stereo, this is highly recommended. (F. Swietek)
Don Quixote
(2016) 122 min. DVD: $24.99, Blu-ray: $34.99. C Major/Unitel (dist. by Naxos of America). Volume 33, Issue 2
Don Quixote
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