Upcoming DVD/Blu-ray Releases

[Rob S]

19 minutes ago, DanJL said:

Is this version of Don Quixote definitely from the Blu Ray? I'll try to watch again soon, but from my first viewing I found this one of the best quality ballet videos I'd seen.

 

I don't know where they got them from, the same source put Coppelia out too....I've just checked the page and now all RB content has been removed

[Guest oncnp]

12 minutes ago, Rob S said:

 

I don't know where they got them from, the same source put Coppelia out too....I've just checked the page and now all RB content has been removed

 

ROH caught up with them yesterday.... Have noticed that they are quicker than they used to be in getting videos removed. There was a Swan Lake that was up for months.

Edited July 15, 2020 by oncnp

[Rob S]

4 minutes ago, oncnp said:

 

ROH caught up with them yestetday.... Have noticed that they are quicker than they used to be in getting videos removed. There was a Swan Lake that was up for months.

 

Damn, which one, not the Takada one from March I hope!

[Naomi M]

7 minutes ago, Rob S said:

 

I don't know where they got them from, the same source put Coppelia out too....I've just checked the page and now all RB content has been removed

I watched the illegal upload of RB videos on YouTube and as a whole the quality of the focus and picture is much inferior to the original released Blu-rays, so you can't judge the quality of the production based on illegal YouTube uploads. Anyway the production staff and directors are all the same as the ones released by Opus Arte.

 

Japan's NHK does film some ROH productions with their staff, it has only been broadcasted in 8K so I haven't seen them yet but they have filmed Swan Lake with Akane Takada this season and Fidelio with Jonas Kaufmann. 

[Guest oncnp]

2 minutes ago, Rob S said:

 

Damn, which one, not the Takada one from March I hope!

 

I think so. Maybe the ROH marketing folks are trawling YouTube for illegal uploads to keep busy.

[Rob S]

36 minutes ago, DanJL said:

Is this version of Don Quixote definitely from the Blu Ray? I'll try to watch again soon, but from my first viewing I found this one of the best quality ballet videos I'd seen.

 

There was a moment in Act 1 when Mercedes (Magri) having been passed around all the matador types ends up with Nicol Edmonds....then that bit finishes  with her fanning herself....the camera focus hunts and wobbles. You'd put up with it in a live broadcast but wouldn't expect it from a blu ray release, I suspect someone has a link to a cinema broadcast library.

 

[Richard LH]

The official (ROH/Japanese) release of the Takada/Campbell Don Q has the best picture quality of any blu-ray I own.

 

I hope they also officially  release the filmed March 2020 version of Swan Lake with Takada and Bonelli - very special.

[DanJL]

46 minutes ago, Rob S said:

 

There was a moment in Act 1 when Mercedes (Magri) having been passed around all the matador types ends up with Nicol Edmonds....then that bit finishes  with her fanning herself....the camera focus hunts and wobbles. You'd put up with it in a live broadcast but wouldn't expect it from a blu ray release, I suspect someone has a link to a cinema broadcast library.

 

I've just found this scene on the Blu Ray and no wobble or other filming issue is evident.

[DanJL]

11 minutes ago, Richard LH said:

The official (ROH/Japanese) release of the Takada/Campbell Don Q has the best picture quality of any blu-ray I own.

 

I hope they also officially  release the filmed March 2020 version of Swan Lake with Takada and Bonelli - very special.

I didn't realise they'd filmed that performance of Swan Lake. Fingers crossed that is released at some point!

[Rob S]

1 minute ago, DanJL said:

I didn't realise they'd filmed that performance of Swan Lake. Fingers crossed that is released at some point!

 

Yes they filmed it twice, I was at the first one

[Rob S]

7 minutes ago, DanJL said:

I've just found this scene on the Blu Ray and no wobble or other filming issue is evident.

 

That's great....it's only for a second right before she fans herself. Otherwise the image quality is fine except for a few questionable framing positions when a variation comes to an end and the close up of the dancer's face is bottom left rather than centre.

[Richard LH]

4 minutes ago, DanJL said:

I didn't realise they'd filmed that performance of Swan Lake. Fingers crossed that is released at some point!

Yes the Japanese have filmed it, but I haven't heard that it has been released for screening anywhere yet, so I would be  surprised if this was the pirated version referred to above. Certainly the Nunez Muntagirov release has been pirated on YouTube with at least one (poor quality) version.

[Rob S]

5 minutes ago, Richard LH said:

Yes the Japanese have filmed it, but I haven't heard that it has been released for screening anywhere yet, so I would be  surprised if this was the pirated version referred to above. Certainly the Nunez Muntagirov release has been pirated on YouTube with at least one (poor quality) version.

 

Remember we're not talking about an uploading of a mobile phone recording off a screen, these were full HD files

[Guest oncnp]

13 minutes ago, Richard LH said:

Yes the Japanese have filmed it, but I haven't heard that it has been released for screening anywhere yet, so I would be  surprised if this was the pirated version referred to ab8ove. Certainly the Nunez Muntagirov release has been pirated on YouTube with at least one (poor quality) version.

 

The pirated "Swan" I saw (a long time ago) was the cinema broadcast complete with commentary. Excellent quality.  I have the DVD and definitely not the same.

Edited July 15, 2020 by oncnp

[capybara]

The official DVDs are clearly a mix of the two lots of filming. Sometimes, there are little things that give this away - slightly different hair, for example.

[Richard LH]

Takada and Hirano's Romeo and Juliet was also filmed and has been screened on Japanese TV, so it would be good if this were to be officially released on disc too.

[alison]

I really can't imagine that the ROH feels it necessary to release yet another R&J DVD when they already have one coming out.  Not to mention that I suppose there might be contractual problems if the rights were for Japan only.

 

18 hours ago, capybara said:

The official DVDs are clearly a mix of the two lots of filming. Sometimes, there are little things that give this away - slightly different hair, for example.

 

Or a sister not losing her balance when you were there watching at the time and know full well that it happened   Actually, I suppose at times it may be possible simply to edit in the view from a different camera if there's something you don't want to show.  It always amuses me that the chair being knocked over in the final, desperate pas de deux in the Watson/Galeazzi Mayerling was left in, when some people elsewhere seemed to regard this as some sort of failing which gets the performance marked down in terms of technical merit - obviously, like me, the powers that be thought that it just added to the atmosphere and left it in, for which I am very thankful.

 

[DanJL]

I guess there might be demand for the Takada and Hirano Romeo and Juliet in Japan, given the casting. Hopefully the keener DVD collectors amongst us would have the option to import a copy in that scenario 🙂

 

Which other version is planned for release? Is it the BalletBoyz film or the Naghdi / Ball performance?

 

[Richard LH]

58 minutes ago, alison said:

I really can't imagine that the ROH feels it necessary to release yet another R&J DVD when they already have one coming out.  Not to mention that I suppose there might be contractual problems if the rights were for Japan only.

 

I agree it is most unlikely the ROH will release this R&J cast as a disc here, if they are to release one for the Naghdi/Ball cast - although have they actually confirmed this is coming out? 

But  I was musing on the possibility  of another Japanese-based disc release, given that Takada and Hirano are extremely popular in their home country and  given that their  version  has already been screened there. But who knows...

[Riva]

16 hours ago, DanJL said:

 

Which other version is planned for release? Is it the BalletBoyz film or the Naghdi / Ball performance?

 

I asked the ROH shop in June 2019 if the Naghdi/Ball performance would be released on DVD and they confirmed that it would be, in 2020. 

[DanJL]

That's wonderful news, thanks Riva 🙂

[Stevie]

On ‎15‎/‎07‎/‎2020 at 17:36, Rob S said:

 

I don't know where they got them from, the same source put Coppelia out too....I've just checked the page and now all RB content has been removed

Although illegitimate RB content is now getting removed, I notice that there are currently eight full length Bolshoi ballets, recent performances, uploaded on youtube for streaming. All by the same screen name but not by the Bolshoi. Surely they are not legitimate streams and like you say, where do they get them from ? You cant even buy these.

[David]

During the past four months I have regularly watched ballet and opera streamingsof productions by the three main Russian companies - Bolshoi ((20), Mariinsky (20), Perm (8) all high quality transmissions, described as HD, apparently by the companies concerned. If not released officially, I guess they must have been uploaded from TV transmissions? 

Edited July 18, 2020 by David

[David]

I see a new production of Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake is due for release in a couple of days time. Hadn't seen that coming.

 

But still no news of a release for The Red Shoes!!!

Edited July 18, 2020 by David

[DanJL]

The new Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake was shown on Sky Arts in April. Also his Romeo and Juliet and The Car Man.

 

I think they announced on Facebook an intention to show The Red Shoes at cinemas in autumn - presumably dependant on social distancing status by then. Hopefully a DVD release will follow soon after 🙂

[stucha]

17 hours ago, David said:

During the past four months I have regularly watched ballet and opera streamingsof productions by the three main Russian companies - Bolshoi ((20), Mariinsky (20), Perm (8) all high quality transmissions, described as HD, apparently by the companies concerned. If not released officially, I guess they must have been uploaded from TV transmissions? 

 

They were originally cinema broadcasts which in the case of the Bolshoi anyway, were also available on their youtube channel for 24 hours, and probably downloaded from there.

 

And if you have never seen Esmeralda, have a look. Maria Alexandrovna is great with stellar support with a number of current principals in in smaller roles. 

It's one of Vikharev's reconstructions. I'm not sure how often it is revived these days but it's really engaging.

[Jeannette]

5 hours ago, stucha said:

 

They were originally cinema broadcasts which in the case of the Bolshoi anyway, were also available on their youtube channel for 24 hours, and probably downloaded from there.

 

And if you have never seen Esmeralda, have a look. Maria Alexandrovna is great with stellar support with a number of current principals in in smaller roles. 

It's one of Vikharev's reconstructions. I'm not sure how often it is revived these days but it's really engaging.

 

 Stucha, the Bolshoi Esmeralda recon was by Yuri Burlaka and Vadily Medvedev. Vikharev did Coppelia for the troupe, a bit earlier.

I completely agree about Alexandrova’s performance. I’m only sorry that Burlaka and Medvedev chose to alter the 2nd act Grand Pas des Fleurs - setting it to music of Bluebeard - when the traditional steps/music exists in other versions of Esmeralda (!!!) in Russia.

[David]

And the Mariinsky production of The Little Humpbacked Horse with Alina Somova and Vladimir Shklyarov came back up on You Tube yest. and is still available. I'm watching it now.

Edited July 19, 2020 by David

[Anna C]

On 17/07/2020 at 07:11, Riva said:

I asked the ROH shop in June 2019 if the Naghdi/Ball performance would be released on DVD and they confirmed that it would be, in 2020. 

 

Excellent news. 👏🏻👏🏻

[stucha]

1 hour ago, Jeannette said:

 

 Stucha, the Bolshoi Esmeralda recon was by Yuri Burlaka and Vadily Medvedev. Vikharev did Coppelia for the troupe, a bit earlier.

I completely agree about Alexandrova’s performance. I’m only sorry that Burlaka and Medvedev chose to alter the 2nd act Grand Pas des Fleurs - setting it to music of Bluebeard - when the traditional steps/music exists in other versions of Esmeralda (!!!) in Russia.

 

Whoops. Thanks Jeannette. It even says Burlaka and Medvedev on the label 😁

[Stevie]

3 hours ago, stucha said:

 

Whoops. Thanks Jeannette. It even says Burlaka and Medvedev on the label 😁

This was one of those I enjoyed most. I wish it was for sale on Blu-ray, although streaming has been invaluable in the lockdown, I do like to have them on the shelf, to watch at  a time to suit.

[DanJL]

I had a wonderful time today watching the new Royal Ballet blu ray - Concerto / Enigma Variations / Raymonda Act III. Great to see this triple bill again. Just wanted to share that it's another with beautiful quality filming. The images for Concerto are particularly good, I guess thanks partly to the lighting. At times it feels like watching a filmed studio version rather than a recording of a live performance, the filming and dancing is so perfect. This is especially the case for the second movement, where the filming almost adds to the beauty of the music and the performances of Naghdi and Hirano.

[ninamargaret]

one of the best DVDs I've seen for a time. It was, of course, a particularly good triple bill and all three performances are very fine. I'm pleased to have Enigma after all these year - it's worth the money if only for Laura Morera! And Raymonda, which is a beautifully polished performance really made me realise what we've been missing these last few months.