La Dame aux Camelias

Anyone who believes that neoclassical ballet ended in the last century can take heart from this stylish ballet adaptation of the titular 1848 novel by Alexandre Dumas (son of the author of The Three Musketeers), performed at the Palais Garnier in Paris in July 2008. Dazzlingly choreographed by John Neumeier, La Dame aux Camelias unfolds in a near-cinematic manner, in which the acting, sets, costumes, and music mesh together into an emotionally moving and aesthetically gratifying whole. This tale of the noted courtesan Marguerite Gautier and her tragic affair with Armand Duval has been variously interpreted as a play, an opera, a movie, and now as an immensely satisfying ballet. Although Chopin never wrote for ballet, his music here almost feels as if was specifically commissioned, and it's beautifully performed by pianists Emmanuel Strosser and Frédéric Vaysse-Knitter and the Paris Opera orchestra under the baton of Michael Schmidtsdorff. Although the choreography is very challenging, the exquisitely-costumed cast from the Paris Opera Ballet superbly handles the demands, with Agnès Letestu as Margeurite, Stéphane Bullion as Armand, Dorothée Gilbert as Prudence, and Karl Paquette as Gaston Rieux—all uniformly excellent in their roles. Presented in DTS 5.1 and LPCM stereo on DVD and PCM 5.0 and stereo on Blu-ray, extras include a helpful synopsis, cast gallery, and excellent behind-the-scenes documentary. A memorable, thrilling production, this is highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: C, P. (J. Reed)