This version of Tchaikovsky's most famous ballet—a 2000 film of a performance at the Théâtre Musical de Paris–Châtelet—carries the name of the choreographer rather than the composer, and rightly so: even though it retains a good selection from the original score (ably played by the Orchestre Colonne under Edmon Colomer), the traditional Christmas-oriented libretto has been jettisoned in favor of a semi-autobiographical tale of a boy's attempt to deal with the loss of his beloved mother by giving himself over to a passion for dance. Projections of Béjart commenting on the action appear periodically, and at one point we even see video of his grandmother reminiscing about Béjart. And when the story reaches a Parisian section, even Tchaikovsky's music gives way to a traditional French dance played by accordionist Yvette Horner, sitting atop what looks like a stage cloud. Obviously this will not appeal to someone looking for a conventional Nutcracker—who can be directed instead to the excellent Royal Opera ballet staging (VL-3/11). But this is a fascinating mounting, performed with dedication and verve by the late choreographer's Lausanne troupe. Central character Bim is charmingly danced by Damaas Thijs, with other lead roles featuring an expert Gil Roman and Juichi Kobayashi. Presented in LPCM stereo, DVD extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette with Béjart and many of the dancers. Recommended. (F. Swietek)
Maurice Béjart's The Nutcracker
(2000) 125 min. DVD: $29.99. Kultur International Films (avail. from most distributors). ISBN: 978-0-7697-5070-5. Volume 29, Issue 2
Maurice Béjart's The Nutcracker
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