Stravinsky and the Ballets Russes

The collaboration between composer Igor Stravinsky and Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes was one of the most important in the history of modern dance, and this superb offering compiles two of their most famous works, brilliantly performed by St. Petersburg's Mariinsky Orchestra and Ballet under the energetic baton of Valery Gergiev. The Firebird (1910) features vigorous orchestral playing and masterful dancing by principals and corps (all set against sumptuous sets and costumes), but it's the mounting of The Rite of Spring (1913) that sets this disc apart. While Michel Fokine's rather traditional choreography for The Firebird was handed down, along with the visual designs, over the decades, Vaslav Nijinsky's innovative work for The Rite of Spring was lost. But this performance is based on the careful reconstruction of Nijinsky's original concept by dance historian Kenneth Archer and choreographer Millicent Hodson, backed by Nicholas Roerich's sets and costumes, allowing viewers to experience something close to the original and thereby gain a better understanding of why the piece—sporting a dissonant score and unconventional dance forms—was greeted with astonishment and anger by Parisians a century ago. Presented with exceptional sound (with Dolby Digital 5.1 and PCM stereo options) and fluent HD camerawork, DVD/Blu-ray extras include a highly informative half-hour interview with Archer and Hodson, and a featurette on the Ballets Russes (with rehearsal footage of the featured performances). Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)