Ivan The Terrible [DVD] [2006]

Since Vasiliev and Mukhamedov ,each of them creating unforgettable Ivans,no dancer had so powerfully portrayed on stage the character of Czar Ivan IV,the Terrible .
Now the Opera National de Paris offers a formidable performance of Grigorovch's Ivan ,recorded live in 2003,Vello Pähn conducting Prokofiev's great music,composed as film score for Eisenstein's 1942-44 masterpiece. Grigorovich had choreographed it,in his vigorous style,in 1975, for the Bolshoi and his wife Natalia Bessmertnova,recently deceased, who had danced Anastasia with Mukhamedov ,helped as assistant choreographer,in this Paris production.
Nicholas Le Riche gives an impressive,electrifying Ivan ,his prodigious "jetés" memorable,his presence as an actor extremely convincing,performing with great technique this 17 year-old sombre, cruel and tormented Ivan. The world had taken notice of him in 1993,dancing Auber's Pas de Quatre with Elisabeth Platel,in Tokio,as Nina Ananiashvili's guest.Since then,as "étoile" of the BNP,he has become the epitome of the great dancer,along with Manuel Legris.On DVD,one can watch him in Balanchines'Jewels,Neumeier's Sylvia,and Albrecht in Giselle ,appeared now.
His beloved Anastasia is young and beautiful Eleonora Abbagnato who convinces with her subtle,moving dancing.
Karl Paquette,already seen in Lacotte's revised Paquita(2003) and Nureyev's Swan Lake(2006),is an intense,fiercing Kurbsky,more than deserves to become an "étoile".
This luxurious production ,beautifully filmed,is a must.

First produced for the Paris National Opera Ballet in 1976 by choregrapher
Yuri Grigorovich and co-choregrapher's Natalya Bessmertnova (Yuri's wife and the Bolshoi's original Anastasia)
along with Valery Ryjov have created a briliant masterpiece.

Sargi Prokofiev's very powerful and moving score,also used in the Eisenstein epic film(Ivan The Terrible parts 1&2
available at Amazon)is masterfully conducted by Maestro Vello Pahn.Pahn brings out the very best from the members of the Paris Opera's orchestra, important especially for the timing that the dancers must have.

The sets and costumes are outstanding along with amazing lighting affects.Simon Vrsaladze sets and costumes are
presented with a rich and amazing array of colours.Especialy those of the Boyars (Russian Noblemen)and the
Oprichniki (Ivan's secret police) are quite splended

Etoile (star) dancer Nicolas Le Riche is phenomenal as Czar Ivan 1V. His interpretation of the tender and loving Ivan,to his decent into madness and paranoia are totaly briliant.In the part when he is mocking his enemies and commiting acts of extream cruelty,all done behind the mask of a "Court Jester" have a frightening effect.Le Riche's vibrant energy and strenght along with his remarkable "jetes" make his interpretation of Ivan The Terrible a truly formidible one.

The very beautiful Italian Premere Dancer Elenora Abbagnato's Anastasia ,Ivan 1V first wife (He had eight)is magnificently interpreted by her with great feeling, tenderness and expression.Abbagnato and Le Riche are spellbinding together especially in the scene at the tomb.Pure majic and so beautifully done.

Kurbsky leader of the Boyars is danced by an other excellent French (now Etoile)dancer Karl Paquette who has great energy and enthusiasm.

Last buy not least are the corps de ballet, who are realy amazing. Their continuity and timing are incredible that one can see days and weeks of training have realy paid off. All due to The Paris Opera's teaching staff at the ballet school.For many years the Russian dancers were considered to be the best in the world.Now The Paris Opera National Ballet are every bit as good and in "Ivan" I would say better,especially in the timing of jumps etc.Special mention to the male dancers who are equaly as masculine as their russian counterparts.(Hopefully the North American ballet dancers will someday catch up but they have a very long way to go!)The battle fights between the Boyars and Oprichniki are exciting and full of energy.Special mention to the six bell ringers,and all the "corps de ballet" all spectactular all appx. eighty dancers.

A wonderful moment during the curtin calls was when Nicolas Le Riche escourted the great Yuri Grigorovich out to centre stage,now well into his 80's.A remarkable ballet indeed.Worth every penny!

This ballet is a good example of recycled music used to a totally worthwhile end. Initially a large amount of this music was used in the Fiery Angel opera and later surfaced in the 3rd symphony, a symphony I have always liked - not least for its unusual sound world. All became clear when I saw the opera years later and realised that the symphony was really recycled opera music based on rather a strange tale. Prokofiev also made use of the same material for the Ivan the Terrible film (did this precede or succeed the Fiery Angel?) and now we came across a ballet drawing yet again upon much of the same material.

This performance of the ballet, which was created by Grigorovich in 1975, was recorded in 2003 and features the Paris Opera ballet. It is totally engrossing and is a spectacular production featuring over 80 dancers. Grigorovich, as a choreographer, is well able to handle such epic productions as his Spartacus ballet has also shown.

The ballet charts the unsettled period of history between the point where Ivan is crowned Tsar and the point where he finally crushes the Boyars and from then rules Russia with an iron hand and considerable personal instability - the beginning of Ivan the Terrible. This period crucially features the marriage of Anastasia to Ivan and her poisoning by the Boyars and the repercussions upon them.

Ivan is, at best, an unstable character and this is wonderfully portrayed by the, at times chilling and perfectly cast, male lead - Nicolas Le Riche. The two supporting roles of Anastasia (Eleonora Abbagnato) and the treacherous Kurbsky (Karl Paquette) are also excellently portrayed and danced. The considerable corps de ballet are also universally excellent and the whole production is completely impressive.

There is none of the lyrical music found in the other great Prokofiev ballets, Romeo and Juliet or Cinderella, as that would be inappropriate to the subject matter. Instead we get music entirely appropriate to the scenarios painted - dramatic, powerful and mysterious as appropriate. As mentioned in the opening paragraph above, you also get yet another opportunity to enjoy the music from the 3rd symphony - or was it the Fiery Angel - or perhaps the film? Great stuff, whatever order it was written in - just enjoy it!

The camera work is perfect, giving a good balance between close views for personal impact and the important panoramic views to emphasise the scale when large numbers of the corps de ballet are on stage. The sound is presented in DD 5.0, DTS 5.0 and stereo and clearly demonstrates the excellence of the Paris orchestra under the conductor, Vello Pahn.

In summary I have no doubt that this very important release is fully worthy of 5 stars and that it will be a very satisfying addition to the collections of purchasers.