La Sylphide

Not to be confused with Les Sylphides, the more familiar ballet employing orchestrated Chopin melodies, this is instead the work recognized as the starting-point of romantic ballet (and the source of many conventions of classical ballet per se), created for the Paris stage in 1832 by Filippo Taglioni as a vehicle for his daughter Marie. Scored by Jean-Madeleine Schneitzhoeffer, La Sylphide--a quintessential expression of Romanticism--is set in “exotic” Scotland, where a young man about to be married is so enchanted by an ethereal sylph that he pursues her into the woods; a malicious witch gives him a scarf to catch her with, but it kills the sylph instead. Taglioni's version of La Sylphide disappeared after several decades, supplanted in the repertory by a Danish staging with different music, but in 1972 choreographer Pierre Lacotte reconstructed the original, and it has since become a staple of the Paris Opera Ballet (the source of this wonderful 2004 performance). Aur(lie Dupont dances exquisitely in the title role, newcomer Mathieu Ganio is equally impressive as the lovesick boy, and some of their work together borders on the sublime. The secondary parts are also well taken, and the corps de ballet is marvelous (especially in Act II), while Ermanno Florio leads the orchestra in a fleet, well-judged reading of Schneitzhoeffer's charming (if lightweight) score. Featuring superb Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS, and LPCM stereo sound options, the DVD also includes the bonus featurette with Lacotte discussing his reconstruction and Dupont and Ganio commenting on their roles. With its fine sets and colorful costumes, La Sylphide is not a profound piece, but it is a delightful one, and it's difficult to imagine a better mounting. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)