"The Four Temperaments"
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Choreographer George Balanchine had no rival in the world of ballet, and still doesn't. Now his greatest stars, especially those from the last decade of his life, have either retired or will soon. That means these films and videotapes are the only records of his greatest collaborations. Certainly his ballets will live on, since they are currently in the repertories of more than 100 dance companies world-wide. Yet these performances and documentaries do justice to his 35-year career as Artistic Director of the New York City Ballet. NYCB was supposed to be the company without stars, but the audience always knew their favorites. From Maria Tallchief to Darci Kistler, from the mercurial Baryshnikov to Balanchine's successor at NYCB, Peter Martins; all are shown brilliantly on these short features and dance programs.
Prodigal Son/Chaconne
(57 min.) Baryshnikov's difficult but electric collaboration with fellow exile Balanchine produced this specially reconceived production of the 1920s classic Prodigal Son for WNET, which also starred the imposing Karin von Aroldingen. Chaconne is a pas de deux for Suzanne Farrell and Peter Martins. All four were at the peak of their performing careers. Music by Prokofiev and Gluck.
Below: a variation from
"The Four Temperaments"
The Four Temperaments/Andante from Divertimento No. 15/Tzigane
(54 min.) Tzigane was developed especially for Balanchine's muse, Suzanne Farrell, and performed by her here with Peter Martins, with music by Ravel. Mozart's Andante inspired a work for eight leads and the corps de ballet. The Four Temperaments spotlights the unsung male leads Bart Cook, Adam Luders and Daniel Duell.
Robert Schumann's Davidsbundlertanze
(43 min.) The choreographer's last and crowning achievement brought together a majestic ensemble: Ib Andersen, Karin von Aroldingen, Jacques D'Amboise, Suzanne Farrell, Sara Leland, Adam Luders, Peter Martins and Heather Watts.
Dancing for Mr. B: Six Balanchine Ballerinas
(86 min.) The six are Maria Tallchief, Mary Ellen Moylan, Melissa Hayden, Allegra Kent, Marrill Ashley and Darci Kistler, but Suzanne Farrell, Tanaquil LeClercq and Diana Adams also perform. A wealth of excerpts have been provided here by Producer-director Anne Belle. Serenade, Concerto Barocco, Apollo, The Four Temperaments, Agon, Ballo Della Regina, Firebird, Symphony in C, La Sonnambula, Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux, Scotch Symphony and Stars and Stripes form a cross-section of Balanchine's career.
The Balanchine Essays: Arabesque
(45 min.) The principles of Balanchine's training method forged the corps de ballet of his company from trainees at his School of American Ballet. Learn as his students did, beginning from arabesques and continuing through to jumps and pointe work. His style is illustrated with the help of two principal dancers from NYCB, Merrill Ashley and Suki Schorer. Excerpts include The Nutcracker, Donizetti Variations, Divertimento No 15, Raymonda Variations, Swan Lake, Serenade, Symphony in C and The Four Temperaments.
Booklets included on all titles
$29.99 each for VHS
