Lieutenant Kijé(Prokofiev) & Le Baiser de la Fée (Stravinsky) (Ballets)
VAI DVD 4415, $34.95

Igor Stravinsky composed the score to Le Baiser de la Fée, based on Hans Christian Andersen’s tale, “The Ice Maiden.” as an homage to Tchaikovsky. It was first produced in 1937, with choreography by George Balanchine. This 1990 film version was choreographed by Natalia Kasatkina and Vladimir Vasiliev, and stars the world-renowned dancer Vladimir Malakhov. Sergei Prokofiev composed the score of Lieutenant Kijé in 1933 for a film verion of Yuri Tinyanov’s 1927 novella. The ballet adaption seen here was choreographed by Alexander Lapauri and Olga Tarasova and first produced at the Bolshoi in 1963. The stellar cast for this 1969 production includes Raisa Struchkova and Vladimir Vasiliev. Bonus segments feature Raisa Struchkova and Boris Khokhlov in Pas de deux from Sleeping Beauty and Don Quixote.

Lt. Kijé (Prokofiev)
Music by Sergei Prokofiev

Choreography: O. Tarasova and A. Lapauri
after the novella of Y. Tinyanov

Emperor Pavel: Vladimir Vasiliev
Lady in Waiting: Raisa Struchkova
Feather: Tatiana Popko
Adjutants: G. Sitnikov, N. Chernitchkin, E. Gubin
Lady: A. Brusilovskaya
Lady, member of Aristocracy: E. Andronikova
Gentleman, member of Aristocracy: A. Simachev
General: G. Bovt
Advisor: N. Simachev
Feather No. 2: A. Krivovyaz
Feather No. 3: I. Vozianova

Drummers, soldiers, courtiers, commoners: Artists of the Stanislavski and Nemirovich-Danchenko Music Theatre Orchestra, conducted by Algis Zhuraitis. Director: M. Grigoriev. 1969     41:26

Le Baiser de la Fée (Stravinsky)
The Fairy’s Kiss)

Screenplay and Choreography: N. Kasatkina & V. Vasiliev,
after the Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tale “The Ice Maiden”
Ice Maiden: Tatiana Yatsenko
Babette: Ludmila Vasilieva
Rudy: Vladimir Malakhov
Rudy as a Child: Vanya Gorbatsevich
Soloists and Artists of the Moscow Classical Ballet Company
Director: F. Slidovker.

1990  46:36

Bonus: “Pas de Deux” from Sleeping Beauty “Pas de Deux” from Don Quixote
(Struchkova, Khokhlov) 19 min.

Total running time: 106  min., Color/B&W (bonus), Region 0 encoding; playable worldwide.