Composer Alexandra Pajak draws her inspiration from minimalism, Medieval Polyphony, and biology, providing a modern interpretation to each with social justice. In addition to her work as a composer Alexandra Pajak works as a mental health clinician. The present release joins her two passions, and presents a programme of music inspired by mental illness. Each track is titled after a different mental condition, including Schizophrenia, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and others, before rounding out with the track Recovery. A brilliant team of musicians interprets this music, including pianist Tim Whitehead, cellist Charae Krueger, violinist Helen Kim, violist Joli Wu, and oboist Sasha Shatalov.
Giselle remains one of the most popular Romantic ballets of all time. The story brings together an engaging mix of human passions, supernatural forces, and the transcendent power of self-sacrificing love. The production by Sir Peter Wright catches the atmosphere of this great Romantic ballet, especially in the perfection of its White Act, with ghostly maidens drifting through the forest in spectacular patterns -- one of the most famous of any scenes for the corps de ballet. Giselle dances with lightness and fragility, giving the impression of floating through the mist.
This is one of The Royal Ballet's most loved and admired productions, faithful to the spirit of the 1841 original yet always fresh at each revival. This performance features former Bolshoi star and now Royal Ballet principal Natalia Osipova in a breath-taking interpretation of the title role.
Adolphe Adam GISELLE
Giselle - Natalia Osipova Albrecht - Carlos Acosta Hilarion - Thomas Whitehead Wilfred - Johannes Stepanek Berthe - Deirdre Chapman The Duke of Courland - Christopher Saunders Bathilde - Christina Arestis Myrtha - Hikaru Kobayashi Moyna - Elizabeth Harrod Zulme - Akane Takada
Royal Opera House Orchestra Boris Gruzin, conductor
Marius Petipa, choreographer John Macfarlane, set and costume designer Jennifer Tipton, lighting designer
Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, January 2014
Bonus: - The Romance of Giselle - The Corps de ballet in Giselle - Cast Gallery
Picture format: NTSC 16:9 anamorphic Sound format: LPCM 2. 0 / DTS 5.1 Region code: 0 (worldwide) Subtitles (bonus): English Running time: 113 mins (ballet) + 10 mins (bonus) No. of DVDs: 1 (DVD 9)
Press Reviews "There has never been a choreographer that I can think of who could produce three such contrasting works, and you sit watching in wonderment at the fertile imaginings of his mind." (The Daily Telegraph )
"It's grisly, and yet horribly exciting in its momentum, as the men show off to each other like skateboarders, flinging themselves into barrel turns while knotting and unknotting their legs." (The Independent )
"As far as I am aware there are no other versions of Elite Syncopations or Concerto currently available on DVD and as mentioned these are significant works in the MacMillan canon so pretty much an obligatory purchase for admirers of his work. As a programme this strikes me as an excellent triple bill as diverse in its emotional range as it is accomplished in its technical excellence from every department." (Musicweb International )
