Balanchine: New York City Ballet in Montreal, Vol.5 (DVD)

The fifth volume of New York City Ballet in Montreal features two Balanchine masterpieces, created 35 years apart. The beautiful and exotic Bugaku (1963) is seen here in a 1978 color telecast starring Patricia McBride and Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux. McBride, one of New York City Ballet’s most celebrated ballerinas, will be awarded the Kennedy Center Honor next month. Apollo (1928) was a milestone in the early part of Balanchine’s career. Jacques d’Amboise dances the title role in a 1960 performance of the complete ballet (followed by an interview with Balanchine), as well as in excerpts of the work as presented on the Bell Telephone Hour in 1963. The latter telecast provides a rare opportunity to see an early performance of Apollo in color and Melissa Hayden as Terpsichore (her only appearance in this DVD series).

Color & Black & white, 71 minutes, 4:3, NTSC (Playable all regions)

BUGAKU
Choreography by George Balanchine
Music by Toshiro Mayuzumi
Dancers: Patricia McBride, Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, Bonita Borne, Elyse Borne, Elise Flagg, Delia Peters, John Bass, Richard Dryden, Laurence Matthews, Richard Tanner (1978)

APOLLO (complete)
Choreography by George Balanchine
Music by Igor Stravinsky
Dancers: Jacques d‘Amboise (Apollo), Diana Adams (Terpsichore), Jillana (Calliope), Francia Russell (Polyhymnia) (1960)

GEORGE BALANCHINE DISCUSSES APOLLO (1960)

APOLLO (three movements)
Choreography by George Balanchine
Music by Igor Stravinsky
Variation d’Apollon • Pas de deux (Apollo and Terpsichore) Coda (Apollo and the Muses)
Dancers: Jacques d‘Amboise (Apollo), Melissa Hayden (Terpsichore), Jillana (Calliope), Patricia Neary (Polyhymnia)
(Bell Telephone Hour, 1963)