Russian Ballet: Spartacus
Dance (collection) • 2h 13m
Documentary • With Tatiana Golikova, Vladimir Vasiliev, Mikhail Gabovich, Ekaterina Maximova, Valery Antonov
• 1979 • 133 minutes
Please note that due to the age of the recording, some of the sections of this video are quite dark.
Spartacus, with its storming athleticism, bold story and passionate music, is considered a signature ballet of the Bolshoi Ballet. The gladiator Sparatcus is probably the most physically demanding male role ever created in ballet, full of phenomenal jumps, dramatic solos and melting love duets, including acrobatic lifts never before seen in ballet. In imperial Rome, vividly designed by Simon Virsaladze, the cruel emperor Crassus parades his conquered slaves, among them Spartacus and Phrygia. Crassus seizes Phrygia for his pleasure, to the fury of his mistress Aegina. Spartacus inspires the Roman people to join him in overthrowing the dictator. As the rebels gain the upper hand, Aegina uses her seductive wiles to intoxicate Spartacus's troops and betray him. He dies a spectacular death as Phrygia mourns on behalf of all those who fight for freedom. This 1979 live performance film, digitally restored and remastered to HD quality, is a precious document of the fabulous Vladimir Vasiliev and Ekaterina Maximova returning to their original roles as Spartacus and Phrygia. Mikhail Gabovich is Crassus and Tatiana Golikova the wily Aegina. Algis Zhuraytis conducts Khachaturian's famous score.
Up Next in Dance (collection)
-
Russian Ballet: The Nutcracker
Directed by Yuri Grigorovich • Documentary • With Ekaterina Maximova, Vladimir Vasiliev
• 1978 • 102 minutesThe Nutcracker speaks to the child in everyone, with its happy dreams of snow, presents, adventures, toys and wishes fulfilled. Despite Tchaikovsky’s most addictive score, the original ...
-
Secundaria
Directed by Mary Jane Doherty • Documentary • With Mayara Piñeiro, Gabriela Moreno, Moises Noriega • 2013 • 96 minutes
Secundaria quietly follows one high school class on its journey through Cuba's world-famous National Ballet School. The teens love to dance, but for many of them dance is also t...
-
They Are We
Directed by Emma Christopher, Ph.D. • Documentary • 2014 • 79 minutes
THEY ARE WE is the story of a remarkable reunion, 170 or so years after a family was driven apart by the ravages of the transatlantic slave trade. In Central Cuba, proud members of the Ganga-Longoba, a small Afro-Cuban ethnic ...