Best Ballets of All Time

What does ChatGPT know about ballet?

I really miss ROMEO & JULIA and CINDERELLA. It’s hard to say which are the most iconic classical ballets.

Determining the „best“ classical ballets of all time is subjective and can vary based on personal preferences and historical significance. However, several ballets are widely celebrated for their artistic merit, impact on the art form, and enduring popularity. Here are some considered among the greatest:

  1. „Swan Lake“ (1876): Composed by Tchaikovsky, this ballet is a timeless classic known for its exquisite music and the story of Odette, a princess transformed into a swan by an evil sorcerer’s curse.
  2. „The Nutcracker“ (1892): Tchaikovsky’s enchanting score accompanies this ballet, telling the magical story of a young girl’s journey through a whimsical world of fantasy on Christmas Eve.
  3. „The Sleeping Beauty“ (1890): Another Tchaikovsky masterpiece, this ballet showcases elaborate choreography and tells the story of Princess Aurora under the spell of a wicked fairy’s curse.
  4. „Giselle“ (1841): Considered a quintessential Romantic ballet, „Giselle“ tells the tragic story of a peasant girl who dies of a broken heart and becomes a spirit protecting her lover from vengeful spirits.
  5. „Don Quixote“ (1869): Based on Cervantes‘ novel, this lively ballet features Spanish-inspired choreography and follows the adventures of the chivalrous Don Quixote and his loyal squire, Sancho Panza.
  6. „Coppélia“ (1870): A charming and comedic ballet about a toymaker who creates a life-like doll, captivating the attention of a young man and his sweetheart.
  7. „La Bayadère“ (1877): Set in exotic India, this ballet combines intricate classical choreography with a captivating love story and mesmerizing scenes.

These ballets are celebrated for their beautiful music, intricate choreography, captivating storytelling, and their lasting impact on the world of dance. Their enduring popularity ensures their place among the most beloved and respected classical ballets of all time.

ChatGPT

See Header Image: Alexei Ratmansky reconstruction of SWAN LAKE for the Ballett Zürich © ballettzürich

Alexei Ratmansky, one of the most important choreographers of our time, has reconstructed this three-act version by Petipa/Ivanov for Ballett Zürich in 2016.

Don Quixote: Grosse Wiederaufnahme in Berlin

Flamenco meets Classical Ballet

180 Minuten Tanz, traumhafte Kostüme und fantasievolle Bühnenbilder rund um den „Traumtänzer“ Don QUIXOTE, gespickt mit übersprudelnder Lebensfreude – ergänzt durch spanische Gitarrensoli. Viel Szenenapplaus und Standing Ovations am 3.12.2021 in der Deutschen Oper Berlin.

Mit seiner neuen Choreografie will der Spanier Víctor Ullate mehr Flamenco in das Ballett DON QUIXOTE bringen, aber trotzdem dem bewährten Original des Ballettklassiker Marius Petipa und Alexander A. Gorski treu zu bleiben. Das Staatsballett Berlin will ganz grosses Ballet zeigen. Mit viel Aufwand durch aufwändige Lichttechnik und bezaubernde Bühnenbilder von Roberta Guidi di Bagno wurde die reduzierten Fassung, die bereits 2018 gezeigt wurde, mit allen Finessen ausgestattet.

Weiterlesen „Don Quixote: Grosse Wiederaufnahme in Berlin“

HOW BALLET HAS CHANGED IN THE LAST 60 YEARS

Don Quixote – now and then

Compare these nine performances of Don Quixote Act 1 – pas de trois compilation 1960s-2010s Kirov/Mariinsky from 1960 to 2014. What do you think? Which one do you love the most?

Now & Then – Don Quixote Act 1 pas de trois compilation 1960s-2010s Kirov/MT
13.01.2016 © Navarre Brixen

Principal Dancers

1960s Budarin
1973 Nureyev
1983 Baryshnikov
1988 Ruzimatov
1990s Batalov
2006 Sarafanov
2008 Shklyarov
2013 Ermakov
2014 Kim

Photo on Top © kulturvideo.com

Highlights for Ballet Lovers

It is time now to thank all of you who support, follows, like and comment on my posts. It has been 4 years since I started my blog and it is growing fast. I feel incredibly grateful for that and looking forward to another wonderful year with plenty of great ballet and dance performances.

I am beginning to look for 2020 highlights in the ballet world. Do you have any idea? 

Weiterlesen „Highlights for Ballet Lovers“

Dancing with a broken foot – is it even possible?

Interview with Valentino Zucchetti, First Soloist in Royal Ballet London

What does a ballet dancer do when he breaks his foot mid-performance? Accept calamity? Or just carry on regardless?

I was lucky to talk to Valentino about his major injury in his debut of Espada on Don Quixote. Hear more about the swaggering Espada in Carlos Acosta’s celebrated production Don Quixote.

Weiterlesen „Dancing with a broken foot – is it even possible?“