J088 DVD Ballet La Bayadère Guérin & Hilaire & Platel ★No booklet included ★One cannot speak of La Bayadère without seeing the Opéra; it begins and ends at the Opéra. ★Condition: General used condition. The image quality is considered very good for its age. It's a 4:3 screen, but viewing it with smart zoom on your screen will provide a very good experience. Recorded: 1997 Direction/Choreography: Rudolf Nureyev Paris Opera Ballet Cast: Isabelle Guérin, Laurent Hilaire, Elisabeth Platel, Lionel Delanoë ★Rudolf Nureyev, the artistic director of the Paris Opera Ballet for many years, created this final stage production as he faced death from AIDS. Nureyev's soul is condensed into this work, which is simply magnificent. I believe that this kind of work will never be replicated in the history of ballet, not in the past 50 years, nor in the next 50 years. Those who understand art will understand. ★★★Quoted from web reviews: ① A wonderful work that Nureyev left to the Opéra at the end. The choreography (slight differences in movement), costumes, and art direction are all finished with a refined sense. ② The casting is excellent. It's clear that Nureyev himself chose the cast. Guérin's dancing, portraying the passionate Nikiya, overflows with emotion. Platel's glamorous appearance and graceful dancing are perfect for the princess character, Gamzatti. Hilaire's dancing, which is both supple and somehow wild, makes the indecisive Solor an attractive presence. Also, as Nureyev's version, there is no redundant dancing, and it is made easy to see. The scenes of the banquet, such as the elephants, are also fun with their whimsical sets. There is also a Makarov version of La Bayadère, such as the Royal Ballet, but personally, I think Nureyev's version is easier to watch with its three-act structure. It's simply beautiful; there's nothing more to say. ③ Although the work is a bit old, the video is beautiful! The Kingdom of the Shades scene is exceptional. The proof of white ballet is, as expected, unmatched by the Paris Opera. The gold ballet makes you understand why it is called the art of the legs. It reproduces Nureyev's unique aesthetic of being gorgeous and glamorous while having a shadow, at a high level. The dazzling stage and costumes are wonderful.