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Two giants of the world of ballet feature in this month’s audiovisual releases. MacMillan Celebrated presents three works by Kenneth MacMillan, formerly director and principal choreographer of the Royal Ballet, who challenged classical ballet to express so many aspects of the human condition, more than any other choreographer. We also have a film from William Aerts who distils five years in the life of Dutch choreographer Hans van Manen to share his remarkable artistic legacy. Finally there’s the world première audiovisual recording of a performance of the original 1822 edition of Donizetti’s opera Zoraida di Granata, in a new co-production staging by Fondazione Teatro Donizetti and Wexford Festival Opera.
![DONIZETTI, G.: Zoraida di Granata (1824 version) [Opera] (Fondazione Teatro Donizetti, 2024) (NTSC)](https://cdn.naxos.com/sharedfiles/images/cds/hires/DYN-38068.jpg "DONIZETTI, G.: Zoraida di Granata (1824 version) [Opera] (Fondazione Teatro Donizetti, 2024) (NTSC)")
Gaetano DONIZETTI (1797–1848)
Zoraida di Granata
Orchestra Gli Originali
Coro dell’Accademia Teatro alla Scala
Alberto Zanardi, Conductor • Bruno Ravella, Director
Zoraida di Granata, a stirring tale of love, betrayal and reconciliation, set in the Moorish kingdom of Granada in Andalusia in 1480, gave the 24-year-old Donizetti his first major operatic triumph. It marked his establishment as a true musical dramatist with a sure sense of craftsmanship and a flair for the dramatic. The opera’s virtuosic central roles, fine choruses and powerful set-pieces show Rossini’s unavoidable influence, though it is more a presence rather than imitation. This performance of the 1822 edition, not the 1824 revision, is performed on original instruments by Gli Originali and conducted by Alberto Zanardi.
Also available on Blu-ray Video (DYN-58068)
![MacMILLAN, K.: MacMillan Celebrated - Danses Concertantes / Different Drummer / Requiem [Ballets] (Royal Ballet, 2024) (NTSC)](https://cdn.naxos.com/sharedfiles/images/cds/hires/OA1388D.jpg "MacMILLAN, K.: MacMillan Celebrated - Danses Concertantes / Different Drummer / Requiem [Ballets] (Royal Ballet, 2024) (NTSC)")
MacMillan Celebrated
Igor STRAVINSKY (1882–1971)
Danses concertantes
Anton WEBERN (1883–1945)
Arnold SCHOENBERG (1874–1951)
Different Drummer
Gabriel FAURÉ (1845–1924)
Requiem
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Koen Kessels, Conductor
From a kaleidoscopic abstract ballet to a poignant elegy, celebrate Kenneth MacMillan’s endless invention in three works.
Kenneth MacMillan (1929–92) was the leading choreographer of his generation. Renowned for his full-length dramatic works which dug deep into the human psyche, MacMillan’s creativity knew no bounds. His one-act works also reshaped the collective identity of The Royal Ballet, challenging the art form to reflect real-life emotions, passions and human frailty. In three varied works, this mixed programme offers a taster of MacMillan’s exceptional craft.
Also available on Blu-ray Video (OABD7325D)
Hans van Manen
A Film by Willem Aerts
Just Dance the Steps
Just Dance the Steps is a personal portrait of the Dutch choreographer Hans van Manen in the run-up to his 90th birthday. For over five years director Willem Aerts followed and observed this internationally acclaimed master of contemporary ballet during his life and work at Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam, in the studio of the Ballett am Rhein in Düsseldorf and at Nederlands Dans Theater in The Hague. This powerful tribute and inspirational portrayal looks back at van Manen’s remarkable artistic legacy, and documents a life that remains inseparable from dance and choreography.
Also available on Blu-ray Video (BAC526)