The Fairytale Ballets (Paris Opera Ballet/Dutch National Ballet)

Dorothee Gilbert (Swanilda (Coppélia)); Mathias Heymann (Frantz (Coppélia)); Jose Martinez (Coppélius (Coppélia); The Movie Star (Cinderella); Prince Siegfried (Swan Lake)); Fabrice Bourgeois (Spalanzani (Coppélia)); Agnes Letestu (Cinderella (Cinderella); Odette (Swan Lake)); Karl Paquette (Wolfgang / Rothbart (Swan Lake)); Stephane Phavorin (The Mother (Cinderella)); Sofiane Sylve (Aurora (Sleeping Beauty));

The classic fairy tale is one of our most beloved narratives, and its long association with ballet has resulted in some of the greatest pieces of Western art, not least the four works comprising this special set. From Nureyev’s cinematic ‘dream’ versions of Cinderella and Swan Lake to ravishing Baroque sets in The Sleeping Beauty and Delibes’ exuberant Coppélia score, The Fairytale Ballets brings together four acclaimed productions that are certain to enchant viewers young and old the world over.

This mid-priced ‘Fairytale Ballets’ DVD box-set is designed as the natural successor to the best-selling ‘Ballets for Children’ box of Autumn 2012. Containing some of the most popular ballets in the repertory, the four existing individual titles will be packaged in aslipcase featuring a specially-commissioned cover illustration from the artist that designs the covers for the top-selling Terry Pratchett fantasy novels. The set is intended to appeal to the 10-16 age group (‘Ballets for Children’ was aimed at the under-10s).

This special box set includes;

Delibes: Coppelia (Paris Opera Ballet)

Dorothée Gilbert / Mathias Heymann / José Martinez / Fabrice Bourgeois

The Paris Opera Corps de Ballet

Orchestre Colonne

Choreography: Patrice Bart / Conductor: Koen Kessels

Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake (Paris Opera Ballet)

Agnès /José Martinez / Karl Paquette

Paris Opera Orchestra

Choreography: Rudolf Nureyev / Conductor: Vello Pähn

Prokofiev: Cinderella (Paris Opera Ballet)

Agnès Letestu / José Martinez

Paris Opera Orchestra

Choreography: Rudolf Nureyev / Conductor: Koen Kessels

Tchaikovsky: Sleeping Beauty (Dutch National Ballet)

Sofiane Sylve / Gaël Lambiotte

Holland Symfonia

Choreography: Peter Wright / Conductor: Ermanno Florio

Reviews

"This Parisian Swan Lake offers the reworked choreography which Nureyev devised for his 1984 production of the ballet and which has remained a favoured recital ever since...Readers used to traditional views of the ballet should see this gripping newcomer." (The Penguin Guide - Swan Lake)

"Dazzling Sleeping Beauty! ... Sylve has everything for the role of Aurora…Together with Gaël Lambiotte she forms the ideal pair. He is a fantastic partner, supporting and stimulating, and, above all, radiating aristocratic allure in his astounding solo’s ..." (De Telegraaf - The Sleeping Beauty)

"More than a traditional full-length ballet, Nureyev’s Cinderella is a musical fantasy overflowing with vitality." (Le Figaro - Cinderella)

"... costumes were extremely attractive, set theatrically striking. The dancers were models of self-presentation." (The New York Times - Coppélia)