Don Quijote

There are very few artistic accomplishments in the 20th Century to compare to the creation of the Cuban National Ballet from its beginnings to one of greatest ballet companies in the world. In Cuba, ballet is almost as popular as the national sport(baseball, followed by boxing and soccer), a situation not easily found anywhere else. All this is due to the tireless efforts of Alicia Alonso and her friends.This performance of Don Quixote is one of the best available on DVD. It is also the first DVD we have of the Cuban National Ballet in the 21st Century. We have many examples of Cuban ballet stars dancing with other companies, like the ABT and the Royal Ballet, but not the entire company. The ballet world can only wonder where the Cuban magic comes from. Perhaps it is something in the water!This performance, done in Paris in 2007, has fantastic choreography, artistry and technique. The costumes and sets are also beautiful. The camerawork, sound, and image are all up to the highest standards. The only thing it lacks, is the presence of the Orchestra of the Great Theatre of Havana. They recorded the music before they left for Paris. They used this pre-recorded music for the performance. Obviously, this was done to save money, since dragging the entire orchestra with them would have probably cost more than the expense for the rest of the entire ballet! The Cuban National Ballet is not exactly flush with cash. We should be glad we can see them at all.The version of DonQ as performed here was especially created by Alicia Alonso and is a very convincing version, indeed. Choreographically modern and stimulating, it is perhaps also more faithful to the story as conceived by Cervantes. A great bonus feature is included which includes extensive interviews(in Spanish with English or French subtitles) with Alicia Alonso and the principal dancers. A wide variety of interesting topics are discussed, such as the formation of the Cuban ballet, and the basic philosophy that is part of their art and technique. Scenes of rehearsals of this and other performances are also shown. Lovers of classical ballet should try to add this to their collection. For further exploration into Cuban ballet, you might consider reading the recent biography of Carlos Acosta, "No Way Home...", as well as the biographies of Alicia Alonso.

Tremendously vibrant dancing with great sets and excellent music. All round a very good buy. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys ballet and good music. An excellent production all round.

Great dancing but unfortunately did not like the background scenery.....The dancing is at its best and I have seen a few in the past

One of the best versions of this ballet.

This may be interesting to people compiling a history of dance, but I was disappointed in the old black and white poor quality film, the sets and camerawork. It was an expensive lesson.

This 2007 recording is really quite special in so far as it is an entirely Cuban production. Not only are all the dancers Cuban and Cuban trained, so is the (pre-recorded?) Havana orchestra. Most importantly though, the whole development of the present Cuban ballet expertise is the result of the dedicated work of the choreographer, Alicia Alonso. There are currently 80 dancers in the Cuban Ballet plus 250 students and a further 2000 in other provincial schools across Cuba.The Cuban choreography is described in the sleeve notes as a combination of Russian, American and Italian influences allied to the vitality of the Cubans. The notes go on to describe the outcome of this as producing `an expressiveness and a joy of dance without equal' and I am definitely inclined to agree based on this extraordinary production.The dancers dominate a colourful but minimalist staging set - probably a touring solution. The costumes, however, are of high quality and are extremely attractive, capturing exactly the mood of the piece. The music by Minkus is precisely as expected, with no alterations, but from there on the production differs from any other I have seen.The choreography is the creation of Alicia Alonso as mentioned above, and she has been able to create a spectacularly vibrant rendition of this rather slight story. The two key dancers representing Kitri (Viengsay) and Basilio (Ramel Frometa) dominate as they should with dancing of tremendous energy, skill and enthusiasm. The youthfulness and good humour of their roles comes over strongly. This is also supported by all the subsidiary roles plus the excellent Corps de Ballet. The most spectacular moment of many comes at the end as Basilio throws Kitri, who holds a joyous star-like shape, a full half metre above his wide stretched arms before catching her for a final set-piece hold. Fantastic and unforgettable!The camera work is supportive and excellently portrays the production although I suspect that the high definition recording may be a bit over-contrasty. I would expect this to be rectified on any Blu-ray should there be one in the future. There is good surround sound - clear but a little reverberant which is why I suspect a pre-recording. You would not know otherwise. These, to me, are minor quibbles when so much else is of such excellence.Whatever other version you have of this ballet, I would suggest that this is worth a try and likely to become an absolute favourite. For me then, a clear 5 stars.

Last night we saw the complete Ballet in wide screen and color. It was shot in Paris where the company was on tour. As an extra there was an interview - primarily with Alicia Alonso - and some clips of her dancing earlier in her life. And the performance of the Cuban Ballet is great! 6 stars were it possible.

This is a marvelous production of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba. I have seen other productions of this ballet from Kirov and Bolshoi and this is by far the best one. Viengsay Valdes is Kitri and Romel Frometa is Basilio. They are supposed to be in love with each other and when you see them dance, you believe it. They really seem to be in love. Their gestures, their smiles and their complicity, all add to make this ballet a magical one. Just watch their Pas de deux and their solos in the third act. Lucky were the people at the Grand Palais in Paris who saw them live. They are a marvelous couple of dancers. But the others are also excellent. The dancers of the Corps de Ballet are also wonderful. Watch their movements always synchronized. I do not know how they can do it but the fact is it seems to be a trademark of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba. I have seen Giselle live a couple of years ago with the same dancers and it has been an experience I will never forget.Add to this the commentaries from Alicia Alonso, Viengsay Valdes and Romel Frometa in the special features included on the DVD and you have everything to make this a wonderful addition to your collection. Alicia Alonso now in her nineties does not see anymore (or almost) but when you listen to her talking about ballet you understand why the Ballet Nacional de Cuba is one of the best companies in the world. She loves ballet and when she comes at the end with the help of the dancers you can see it in her face. Also of interest in the special features a comparison between Alicia Alonso and Viengsay Valdes dancing the same scenes from Don Quijote in 1980 and 2007.This DVD deserves 5 stars. We should see more ballets from this company. Thanks to Belair Classiques for giving us this one.

After seeing the reviews here and the promotional clip on Youtube, I decided to purchase this version of Don Q, with the expectation that it would be equally good as La Scala's Don Q (with Natalia Osipova as Kitri and Leonid Sarafanov as Basilio). To my disappointment, this Kitri - although very flirtatious and has amazing technique and control - is lacking a little something that the ever-charismatic Osipova has. The stage setting is minimal, and the music is pre-recorded: most of the times the dancers and the music match perfectly, sometimes not - especially when Kitri is doing fouettes in Coda, the tempo is just not right. There are a couple of times where Basilio seems too out-of-breath to finish his turns, which is reflected on the pace and angle of his legs, but his leaps and jumps are spectacular. The costumes are okay; the gypsies' clothing is not really that convincing. The lighting and colour contrast of this DVD could use a better job.

Le Ballet Nacional de Cuba donne une représentation excellente de Don Quixote.Une performance ;a couper le souffle sur la magnifique musique de Minkus.Alicia Alonso a supervisé ce spectacle avec talent.Un grand succès.This is an excellent performance of Ballet Nacional de Cuba.Great success in this Don Quixote choreography directed by Alicia Alonso.

This 2007 recording is really quite special in so far as it is an entirely Cuban production. Not only are all the dancers Cuban and Cuban trained, so is the (pre-recorded?) Havana orchestra. Most importantly though, the whole development of the present Cuban ballet expertise is the result of the dedicated work of the choreographer, Alicia Alonso. There are currently 80 dancers in the Cuban Ballet plus 250 students and a further 2000 in other provincial schools across Cuba.The Cuban choreography is described in the sleeve notes as a combination of Russian, American and Italian influences allied to the vitality of the Cubans. The notes go on to describe the outcome of this as producing `an expressiveness and a joy of dance without equal' and I am definitely inclined to agree based on this extraordinary production.The dancers dominate a colourful but minimalist staging set - probably a touring solution. The costumes, however, are of high quality and are extremely attractive, capturing exactly the mood of the piece. The music by Minkus is precisely as expected, with no alterations, but from there on the production differs from any other I have seen.The choreography is the creation of Alicia Alonso as mentioned above, and she has been able to create a spectacularly vibrant rendition of this rather slight story. The two key dancers representing Kitri (Viengsay) and Basilio (Ramel Frometa) dominate as they should with dancing of tremendous energy, skill and enthusiasm. The youthfulness and good humour of their roles comes over strongly. This is also supported by all the subsidiary roles plus the excellent Corps de Ballet. The most spectacular moment of many comes at the end as Basilio throws Kitri, who holds a joyous star-like shape, a full half metre above his wide stretched arms before catching her for a final set-piece hold. Fantastic and unforgettable!The camera work is supportive and excellently portrays the production although I suspect that the high definition recording may be a bit over-contrasty. I would expect this to be rectified on any Blu-ray should there be one in the future. There is good surround sound - clear but a little reverberant which is why I suspect a pre-recording. You would not know otherwise. These, to me, are minor quibbles when so much else is of such excellence.Whatever other version you have of this ballet, I would suggest that this is worth a try and likely to become an absolute favourite. For me then, a clear 5 stars.

In the recording of the National Ballet of Cuba's visit to Paris in 2007 a definite economy in productions values is at once apparent for the performers are denied the presence of a conductor and orchestra and are obliged to dance to a sound system pre-recorded in Havana. Further evidence of poverty row is evident in the hastily conceived and poorly executed backdrops. The costumes are however acceptable and in period.The pleasures of the production are firmly rooted in the dancing which is undertaken with dedication, accomplishment and tremendous energy. In particular the production is very fortunate in the two leads who dominant the action with their accomplishments and vitality. That said Viengsay Valdes, although bursting with confidence, lacks the grace of such elegant performers as Alessandra Ferri and Agnes Letestu. What is unfortunate is the amount of time spent on acknowledging the appreciation of the audience. In ballet the absence of the fourth wall encourages rapport between dancers and audience but here such interaction is often excessive and tasteless.Don Quijote is hampered by a rather flimsy story and such is the concentration on the lovers Kitri and Basilio that as in this production the Don and Sancho Panza are relegated to the sidelines Here they are virtually absent in the final stages of the production. During his rare moments in the spotlight Dayton Vara as the Don manages to convey both elegance and dignity but Javier Sanchez reduces the part of Sancho Panza to that of an arm waving buffoon. That these two characters can be important is evident in the superior production of the ballet given by Dutch National Ballet in 2010. Here the actors (not dancers) playing the roles succeed admirably in bringing the characters to life. This stylish and well executed production is a better introduction to the glories of this ballet than the offering from Cuba which, despite the merits of the dancing, is not an essential purchase.Trottman