La Petite Danseuse de Degas

Just as Georges Seurat's painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte inspired the Broadway musical Sunday in the Park with George, so Edgar Degas' sculpture Little Dancer of Fourteen Years sparked this ballet, an imaginative retelling of the life of Marie van Goethem, a pupil at the Paris Opera Ballet School who served as Degas' model. In this scenario, choreographed by Patrice Bart to a score by Denis Levaillant, Marie is encouraged by her mother to become an escort to wealthy men, but is arrested when she tries to rob one of them, ultimately ending her life as a laundress, although earning immortality due to the artist's depiction of her younger self. The story allows Bart to construct a series of fine set pieces—exquisite solos, lovely duets, and elaborate ensembles—which are performed beautifully in this 2010 production from the Opéra National de Paris by Clairemarie Osta as Marie and Dorothée Gilbert as her ballerina idol, along with the other dancers. Levaillant's music employs varied styles and unusual instrumentation, and although it lacks memorable melodies, the score does create an evocative sound and is sensitively performed here by the orchestra under Koen Kessels. Ezio Toffolutti's simple but arresting sets and Sylvie Skinazi's elegant costumes add to the entrancing effect. Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 (DTS-HD 5.1 on Blu-ray) and PCM stereo on DVD, extras include bonus cast and crew interviews. A modern ballet that is both sophisticated and accessible, this is recommended. (F. Swietek)