The Art of Maria Tallchief (DVD)

"The Art of Maria Tallchief" combines two programs that were previously available separately on VHS.
Color / B&W, 83 minutes, 4:3, All regions

Her Complete Bell Telephone Hour Appearances
Maria Tallchief has long been recognized as one of the most accomplished American-trained dancers of her time. Her superb technique, combined with an innate musicality, lent a strong presence to her appearances, most particularly to the many major roles created for her by George Balanchine.

Tallchief made five guest appearances on the Bell Telephone Hour. Her partners included an appropriately starry assemblage of leading male dancers. The excerpts, ranging from the cool neoclassicism of Balanchine’s Allegro brillante to John Butler’s ardent Romeo and Juliet pas de deux, amply demonstrate the extraordinary versatility of this truly great American ballerina.


Adagio from the "Scotch" Symphony
(with André Eglevsky)
music: Mendelssohn; choreography: George Balanchine
© The George Balanchine Trust
telecast of April 9, 1959

Grand pas de deux from Don Quixote
(with Erik Bruhn)
music: Minkus; choreography: Marius Petipa
telecast of January 6, 1961

Pas de deux from Flower Festival in Genzano
(with Rudolf Nureyev)
music: Helsted & Paulli; choreography: Erik Bruhn, after Bournonville
telecast of January 19, 1962

Allegro brillante to
Tchaikovsky’s Third Piano Concerto
(with Nicholas Magallanes)
music: Tchaikovsky; choreography: George Balanchine
© The George Balanchine Trust
telecast of February 25, 1964

"Balcony Scene" pas de deux from Romeo and Juliet
(with Conrad Ludlow)
music: Prokofiev; choreography: John Butler
telecast of February 13, 1966

The Bell Telephone Hour Orchestra
conducted by Donald Voorhees

Maria Tallchief in Montreal
These magnificent performances represent the earliest known video documents of one of the most important dancers of the century. Tallchief premiered many of Balanchine's ballets, including his Pas de Dix, which she dances here with André Eglevsky. Also included is an extended scene from Act II of Swan Lake (also with Eglevsky), with some new choreography by Balanchine. The video is rounded out by a performance of the Pas de deux from Les Sylphides with Royes Fernandez. Live telecasts from the archives of Radio-Canada, 1954-1963. (Black & White)


Pas de deux from Les Sylphides (8:23)
(with Royes Fernandez)
music: Chopin; choreography: Michel Fokine
telecast of March 3, 1963

Pas de dix (16:48)
(with André Eglevsky and Corps de Ballet)
music: Glazunov; choreography: George Balanchine after Marius Petipa
© The George Balanchine Trust
telecast of November 5, 1957

Swan Lake - Scenes from Act II (13:37)
(with André Eglevsky)
music: Tchaikovsky; choreography: George Balanchine after Lex Ivanov
© The George Balanchine Trust
telecast of March 25, 1954

Orchestre de Radio-Canada
under the direction of Jean Deslauriers

BALANCHINE is a Trademark of The George Balanchine Trust

In terms of physical presence, musicianship and razor-sharp technique, Maria Tallchief remains the quintessential American dancer. These performances, which include the earliest extant television appearances by Miss Tallchief, capture those qualities with stunning preciseness. Dance historians will take special pleasure in the inclusion of George Balanchine's Pas de dix with Miss Tallchief and André Eglevsky, principals of the work's debut at New York's City Center less than two years before Radio-Canada's filming. If the Pas de dix succeeds in demonstrating Miss Tallchief's precision, authority and superb point work, the excerpts from Les Sylphides and Swan Lake exemplify the lyrical aspects of her dancing and the sheer elegance of her line, qualities equally shared by her Sylphides partner, Royes Fernandez.