Balanchine: New York City Ballet in Montreal, Vol.1 (DVD)

Two of Balanchine’s most beloved ballets, Serenade and Orpheus, in this first release in VAI’s historic series featuring the New York City Ballet in Montreal. Beginning in 1954, NYCB’s Artistic Director and co-founder George Balanchine presented the company in performances produced for Radio-Canada, the Montreal division of Canadian Television. These live telecasts capture legendary dancers in core works of NYCB’s repertoire. Serenade stars Jacques d’Amboise, Diana Adams, and Patricia Wilde. Balanchine himself appears on screen to discuss Orpheus, which stars Nicholas Magallanes and Francisco Moncion dancing the roles they created in the 1948 premiere, and Violette Verdy as Eurydice.
Black & White, 59 minutes, 4:3, NTSC (Playable all regions)

SERENADE
Choreography by George Balanchine
Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Serenade for Strings in C, Op. 48)
Waltz Ballerina: Diana Adams
Russian Ballerina: Patricia Wilde
Dark Angel: Yvonne Mounsey
Elegy Cavalier: Jacques d’Amboise
Waltz Cavalier: Herbert Bliss
And corps de ballet of New York City Ballet
The Strings of Orchestre de Radio-Canada
Hugo Fiorato, conductor
(Telecast of November 5, 1957)

ORPHEUS (introduced by Balanchine)
Choreography by George Balanchine
Music by Igor Stravinsky
Orpheus: Nicholas Magallanes
Eurydice: Violette Verdy
The Dark Angel: Francisco Moncion
Apollo: Roy Tobias
Leader of the Bacchantes: Judith Green
And corps de ballet of New York City Ballet
Orchestre de Radio-Canada
Robert Irving, conductor
(Telecast of March 10, 1960)