CD-Charts Position 1
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Adam - Giselle (Cojocaru, Royal Ballet, Gruzin) [2006] (NTSC)

starring: Alina Cojocaru, Johan Kobborg, Marianela Nuñez, Martin Harvey
directed by: Marius Petipa (Choreographer);Boris Gruzin (Conductor)

Release Date September 01, 2008
Let me start off by saying that Giselle is my favorite ballet; I love the story, the music and the dance.

This performance was recorded in 2006 at the Royal Opera House, Covent Gardens, London and stars Alina Cojocaru and Johan Kobberg in the principal roles.

This is probably the best danced and finest interpretation of this magnificent ballet I've ever seen. I initially saw this at a movie theater with about 200+ people; you could have heard a pin drop during many of the pas de deux between Cojocaru and Kobberg, they were that stirring to watch.

There was so much to like about this performance...let me elaborate,

the Pros:

1.)The costumes for the peasants, the Royal hunting ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
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Tchaikovsky - the Sleeping Beauty (Ovsyanikov) [2006]

starring: Alina Cojocaru, Federico Bonelli, Christopher Saunders, Elizabeth McGorian, Alastair Marriott
directed by: Marius Petipa (Choreographer);Ashton / Dowell / Wheeldon (Additional choreography);Valeriy Ovsyanikov (Conductor)

Release Date June 30, 2008
This "Sleeping Beauty" is beautiful. The costumes are lavish and beautiful and the sets wistful, romantic, and straight out of a fairy tale.

The dancing, all around, is amazing, and Alina Cojocaru is wonderful as Aurora. Her dancing is light, beautiful and graceful. She makes a youthful, sweet, smiling, tender princess - i.e. a princess on the inside as well as on the outside. Even on the hard moments like the Rose Adagio, Alina's Aurora remains with us - gentle, warm, and accessible.

During the notorious Rose Adagio, she makes her balances perfectly. I have seen other ballerinas perform them, some of them scarcely pausing between taking their different suitors' hands, or else unsteady during those horrible, electrifying ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
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Sylvia [1996]

starring: Darcey Bussell, Roberto Bolle, The Royal Ballet, The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
directed by: Graham Bond

Release Date October 29, 2007
IN A NUTSHELL-boy fancies girl-girl shoots boy with an arrow,statue shoots girl-girl kidnapped by demigod-girl gets demigod drunk-girl saved by eros(the statue)reunited with boy who is not dead after all-demigod (Orion) reappears to try and snatch girl again but is shot by Diana(the huntress)boy and girl live happily ever after.Now the serious bit,this ballet will have you cheering from your seat,everyone puts their heart and soul into it,and that includes the corps de ballet.The sets are superb,and costumes are everything we've come to expect from the R.O.H.the list of star players is your guarantee of great ballet and you will not be disappointed,this deserves more than 5 stars...AND you could listen to this score without pictures that's how good the ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
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Tales Of Beatrix Potter [1971]

starring: The Royal Ballet

Release Date November 20, 2006
Absolute magic! I saw this as a child and it inspired me into career of dance. As a child, I adored to watch it and try to imitate the characters. Frederick Ashton's choreoegraphy brings the animals to life with imagination and fun. In the early 70's The Royal Ballet was in it's glory days with dancers like beautiful Leslie Collier, Wayne Sleep and Michael Coleman: who's Pas De Chat-ing Jeremy Fisher I'll never forget, dancers filled with style, creativeness and that tremendous RB technique. This is a joy, something to have on the shelf for any ballet fan or budding ballerina. Enjoy!

CD-Charts Position 5
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Viva La Diva - Darcey Bussell and Katherine Jenkins

by: Various

Release Date November 10, 2008
We bought this on Monday and watched it last night with our eldest daughter - who is getting into ballet. She was totally transfixed by Darcey Bussell, who just shines in this. It was such a delight to see her perform like this, as a full blown ballet is a bit hard for kids to sit through. We loved it too! Katherine Jenkins sparkles, and her voice is in fine form. For a credit crunch night in this is hard to beat for all round family entertainment, and will be lovely at Christmas for the whole family to get together to watch.

CD-Charts Position 6
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Khachaturian - Spartacus - Bolshoi Ballet - Carlos Acosta [2008]

starring: Carlos Acosta, Alexander Volchkov, Nina Kaptsova, Maria Allash
directed by: Ross MacGibbon

Release Date October 06, 2008
We bought this on Monday and watched it last night with our eldest daughter - who is getting into ballet. She was totally transfixed by Darcey Bussell, who just shines in this. It was such a delight to see her perform like this, as a full blown ballet is a bit hard for kids to sit through. We loved it too! Katherine Jenkins sparkles, and her voice is in fine form. For a credit crunch night in this is hard to beat for all round family entertainment, and will be lovely at Christmas for the whole family to get together to watch.

CD-Charts Position 7
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Gaetano Donizetti - La Fille du régiment / Dessay, Florez, Palmer, Corbelli, French, Campanella, Pelly (Royal Opera House 2007)

by: Gaetano Donizetti
starring: Natalie Dessay, Juan Diego Florez, Felicity Palmer, Alessandro Corbelli, Dawn French
directed by: Laurent Pelly

Release Date April 21, 2008
I have never seen or heard a better production of this magnificent opera. The stage production is the most imaginative I have ever seen anywhere; the set is better than most I have ever seen outside of the Metropolitan Opera House and the way in which it is presented is hilarious; Dawn French's cameo as the Duchess Crackentorp, non-singing, almost makes one forget that this is actually a Donizetti bel canto opera and not a stand-up performance. All of this is before the singing. I have on C.D. the 1968 recording of this opera, starring Pavarotti and Joan Sutherland and I can tell you that all of the singers and chorus are better in this than in that (except, of course, for Juan Diego Florez, who can't compare with Pavarotti but is amazing all the ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 8
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Hans Van Manen Festival [2007]

starring: Han Van Manen, Uliana Lopatkina, Lucia Lacarra, Larissa Lezhina, Roger van der Poel
directed by: Altin Kaftira;Adrienne Liron;Jeff Tudor

Release Date July 21, 2008
What better way to celebrate Hans van Manen's cool and stylish choreography? Dutch National Ballet invited some of the world's greatest dancers and companies to take part in the 'Hans van Manen Festival' and this DVD is a must-have for anyone who is a fan of the choreographer's understated work.

Uliana Lopatkina is gorgeous in Trois Gnossiennes - it looks like this ballet was made for her.

You would expect Holland's major dance companies, Dutch National Ballet and Nederlands Dans Theatre, to be at home with van Manen's style and they certainly are - their outstanding dancers find all the emotional intensity in Adagio Hammerklavier, Simple Things and Twilight.

Lucia Lacarra is stunning in 5 Tangos, her extensions and ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 9
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Dancing for Mr B: Six Balanchine Ballerinas [1989]

directed by: Anne Belle

Release Date August 25, 2008
What better way to celebrate Hans van Manen's cool and stylish choreography? Dutch National Ballet invited some of the world's greatest dancers and companies to take part in the 'Hans van Manen Festival' and this DVD is a must-have for anyone who is a fan of the choreographer's understated work.

Uliana Lopatkina is gorgeous in Trois Gnossiennes - it looks like this ballet was made for her.

You would expect Holland's major dance companies, Dutch National Ballet and Nederlands Dans Theatre, to be at home with van Manen's style and they certainly are - their outstanding dancers find all the emotional intensity in Adagio Hammerklavier, Simple Things and Twilight.

Lucia Lacarra is stunning in 5 Tangos, her extensions and ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

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Wild China

starring: Wild China

Release Date June 09, 2008
Wonderful imagery brings alive this amazing country,enough to make you want to visit and see it all for yourself !! Hope they see sense and release a soundtrack cd soon,the music alone is outstanding ! Sure it would be popular with China being the country of the moment !