Post Description

Inspired by Anton Chekhov?s Three Sisters, British choreographer Kenneth MacMillan?s ballet Winter Dreams reveals the intricate relationship of genteel characters trapped in the stultifying atmosphere of a Russian provincial town at the turn of the 20th century. The piece began as the ?Farewell? pas de deux, danced by Darcey Bussell and Irek Mukhamedov, specially commissioned to celebrate Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother?s 90th Birthday at the London Palladium. MacMillan later extended this to a one-act ballet, which premiered in February 1991. Featuring the same characters who appear in Chekhov?s poetic play, the ballet is a study of the melancholy danced to selected works from Tchaikovsky arranged and performed by Philip Gammon, interspersed with traditional Russian music selected and arranged for guitar ensemble by Thomas Hartman. In this 1992 studio recording, Darcey Bussell dances the role of the head-strong Masha, the sister married to the boring, worthy school teacher Kulygin, danced by Anthony Dowell, and drawn into an adulterous affair with Colonel Vershinin, danced with passionate intensity and thrilling virtuosity by former Bolshoi star Irek Mukhamedov. This star-studded Royal Ballet cast also includes Viviana Durante and the wonderfully expressive Nicola Tranah as Masha?s sisters Irina and Olga, and Stephen Wicks and Adam Cooper as Baron Tusenbach and Solyony, rivals for Irina?s hand. The subtle period designs are by Peter Farmer, and this studio production was directed as well as choreographed by Kenneth MacMillan. The programme is introduced by Lynn Redgrave. The DVD also contains Out of Line, a revealing documentary portrait of Kenneth MacMillan.

Format: Classical, Full Screen, PAL 
Language English 
Subtitles: French, German, English 
Aspect Ratio: 4:3 - 1.33:1 
Run Time: 123 minutes 

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