Thanks, Naomi for the info!. It's certainly a pity the lack of releases from CNB...Whole generations of stars from the 60's, 70's, 80's and even 90's were never filmed, and hence, are being forgotten, or worse than that, totally unknown beyond Cuban balletomanes's memories..There are always, as we all know of course, the ever present efforts and success to sneak tiny video cameras on performances, and thanks to that, whole collections of Cuban ballet from those marvelous decades are currently and carefully held in private hands, (you know who you are, so thanks, boys! ). But anyways, here's an official production of Don Quijote, presenting an outstanding ballerina, Viengsay Valdes, and her great partner, Romel Frometa (be aware of those names, new yorkers, for their upcoming visit!). I just hope that this is just the beginning of future releases.

Here is the link to the French website who's selling it. I ordered mine already.

http://video.fnac.com/a2260308/Don-Quichot...p;Nu=8&Fr=0

cubanmiamiboy,

Thank you for introducing the DVD to this forum.

The cast is,
Kitri：Viengsay Valdes
Basilio：Romel Frometa
Mercedes：Sadais Arencibia
Espada：Miguel Angel Blanco
Young Gyspy:Taras Domitro
Queen of the Driads：Yanela Pinera

And this disc is in fact compatible NTSC/PAL and it played on my NTSC player.
The quality of the film such as camerawork is good, and the performance is of course marvellous.
And there is a bonus documentary, Interviews of Alicia Alonso and Valdes, Frometa, with rehearsal scenes in Grand Palais Paris and some footage of Alonso and Plisetky Giselle, Alsonso and Vasiliev Don Q and this is valuable I think.

I'm curious about this release. The Bel Air Classiques DVD doesn't seem to be on sale outside France. At least it isn't available on British or German Amazon. This performance is included in the forthcoming Opus Arte season to be screened at movie theatres in Canada and the UK, so does this mean that Opus Arte holds the rights to the performance in the English-speaking world? If Opus Arte intends to release it on DVD, does this mean that it won't be releasing the Royal Ballet's telecast of Don Quixote from 2001? Admittedly, the RB wouldn't be my first choice for a Don Quixote, but the ROH did buy Opus Arte in order to promote its own productions (except, perhaps, this one).

It is cheaper on amazon.fr : http://www.amazon.fr/Don-Quijote-Ballet-Na...a/dp/B0018KW3XS or alapage.com : http://www.alapage.com/-/Fiche/DVDVideo/97...pel=ALAPAGE than fnac.com : http://video.fnac.com/a2260308/Don-Quichotte-DVD-Zone-2
For those like me who need to let their credit card cool off a bit...

And still, with the current conversion, the cheapest deal would be no less than $55 US dollars, (including S/H)...Damm,is ballet expensive..!

At least VAT is deducted from non-EU orders. I've found that if several items are ordered at once, the deducted VAT will usually "cover" shipping costs. On my last order from the UK the shipping costs came to £7.04, but after VAT was deducted, the order came to £10.19 less than the total list price. It's a very faint silver lining, I know, but I'll take it.

Does anyone want this DVD? I somehow managed to accidentally order TWO (2) of them which came today and certainly don't have need for the other one. It's R0 PAL and if you're in the US and want this, I'll pay the shipping if you just pay me what i paid for it 21Eur (~$33US).

btw, admins, if this is a poor place for me to put this post, link where it should be.

thx
-goro-

So I'm finally on my way to get the DVD. (Thanks Goro!). Oh, well, so with this my own Cuban collection grows considerably.
My "Giselle" : Alonso/Vasiliev
My "Swan Lake": Hayna Gutierrez/Miguel Angel Blanco
My "Fille": Carlos Acosta/Nunez.
and now...my "DQ": Viengsay Valdes/Frometa.

not bad at all...

I got my copy last weekend and have watched it twice, so far. This is my fourth Don Q DVD (#5 - POB with duPont - is on its way) and the only one that I don't fast forward through to 'the good stuff'. It's all good! And anybody who doesn't fall instantly and hopelessly in love with Valdes and Frometa just isn't trying very hard - charmers, both of them. Both fine dancers and Frometa verges on the semi-stupendous at times.

I am curious about the Don Q pdd in the third act, though. It looks like Valdes does a 'simplified' version of her variation, without the quick footwork I remember from other versions. She certainly can balance, turn and jump like the dickens, so that's not meant as criticism, she just didn't seem to do much allegro (of course that may just be the choreography).

My biggest complaint is with the conductor, who doesn't always wait for Valdes to finish a turn. I know the music must be served, but really, if a dancer hits a fantastic balance (which she does pretty much all the time), is it fair to rush him/her just so a dead composer isn't insulted?

In any case, well worth the obnoxious amount of money it set me back.

Edited to add:

Quote: "My "Fille": Carlos Acosta/Nunez."

Have you ever seen the Carlos Acosta/Leanne Benjamin RB Coppelia? The first time I saw him, I thought I'd died and gone to 'ballet heaven'. Nobody quite like him, is there?

Both. Valdes is not that much of an "allegro" ballerina, you're right. Her stuff is more about pyrotechnics: amazing jetes, pirouettes-(quadruples, quintuples...ridiculous), loooooooooong balances-(never saw such a thing before) and the fiercest fouettes ever, working leg ALWAYS in perfect a la second-(never lower than 90).



Well, as i said before, the thing is that Valdes sometimes seems to want to say in balance for the rest of the variation...there's a time when she needs to realize that there's still the rest of the choregraphy waiting to be danced...(oh, never mind, i love her surreal balances, to tell yout the truth... he,he... )



Look for their "Diana&Acteon" on Youtube. THAT'S amazing.



No, i haven't...but now i want to go to "ballet heaven" too...gonna check it out. Thanks.

For this performance, I think the music is not live...it has been recorded prior to the performance.
I agree that the music doesn't wait enough for Valdes' incredible balances .

Peggy, are you in the US?

I ask because I noticed both French websites classify the DVD as Region 2, which means it's formatted for DVD players sold in Europe. Or do you have an All-Region DVD player?

I'd like to buy the DVD but wonder how Americans can watch Region 2 on their DVD players... unless they're All-Region.

hello garybruce: I purchased my copy at amazon.fr and when I received it, the back of the cover says "This is a region free NTSC DVD, designed for playback on all NTSC and modern PAL compatible system worldwide." I hope this helps to clarify.

I usually play those on my laptop-(which i have hooked to my surround sound system)-...it has always worked so far...

Thanks Katalina and Cubanmiamiboy--I went ahead and purchased a copy on amazon.fr. If it won't play on my DVD player, it'll do so on my PC. I'm looking forward to it after having caught glimpses on You Tube of the matadors!

Hi garybruce: You should have no problems at all. It looks great, even on my old, cruddy TV: crisp and good color. Plus, Don Q was filmed in HD (in some alternate universe where I don't owe anybody any money, HDTV is my next purchase). Can't wait to hear what you think of it. Enjoy!

Peggy

OMG...i'm just watching my recently acquired copy. This is definitely THE Don Quijote to have. Astonishing!

WOW!!

Many thanks!

God, just saw Valdes' coda with simple-triples-simple-triples and finishing with quintuples..!!! Of course, she danced within a dime space, working leg at perfect 90 degrees . Just out of this world. This should be shown as "How fouetees are supposed to be done". Bravo!

Are the documentaries subtitled with English as an option?

Note: Edited to answer "yes"

The half-hour documentary is subtitled in english and french, most of it an interesting interview of Alicia Alonso including old (and I guess rare) excerpts of her performances of Giselle and Don Quijote.
In this feature we see her directing a rehearsal of Giselle while at Grand Palais when this production of Don Quijote was fimed. So I'm wondering, was Giselle performed at Grand Palais too and did somebody have the good idea to film it ?

it was performed and there are two silent clips in youtube - search under Grand Palais

The DVD will be released in North America on September 9. Type B0018KW3XS into the Amazon search box.

There's another, less expensive, Don Q DVD with product code B001DXCFVU, but I don't know whether it's the same performance. The run time is the same.

Brilliant news. Thanks for letting us know Christian. Ive seen Viengsay perform and she is wonderful.
Her fouettes are out of this world.