Grades 9-12, College, Adult
Directed by Barbara Willis Sweete
Produced by Jennifer Jonas, Daniel Iron, Niv Fichman
DVD Purchase $79, Rent $45
US Release Date: 2004
Copyright Date: 2003
DVD ISBN: 1-59458-076-6
VHS ISBN: 1-59458-075-8
Subjects
Canadian Studies
Dance
Humanities
Music
Performing Arts
Awards and Festivals
Bronze Plaque, Columbus International Film & Video Festival
Moving Pictures Dance on Film and Video, Canada
A performance of James Kudelka's ballet, enhanced by spectacular visual effects.
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"A classy and elegant ballet film that's here for the ages." Glenn Sumi, NOW Magazine Online Edition |
THE FIREBIRD is ablaze with mystery, passion and magic. Inspired by a mystical Russian folk tale, the enchanted world of Heroic Prince, Evil Demon, Beautiful Princess and Exotic Firebird comes alive before the viewer's eyes.
Based on James Kudelka's masterpiece for the stage, THE FIREBIRD combines classical ballet with spectacular visual effects. Kudelka's choreography melds seamlessly with graceful, gravity-defying movement through the air. The Stravinsky score is performed by the Kirov Orchestra with the incomparable Valery Gergiev conducting. THE FIREBIRD invites us into a world like none other.
Reviews
"In the confident hands of director Barbara Willis Sweete, The Firebird...proves more enchanting than it did when the National Ballet of Canada premiered James Kudelka's original choreography a few years ago...The production is more stripped-down than the ostentatious stage version, allowing us to appreciate Kudelka's choreography more fully from various angles -- from above and through ghostly skeletal trees. At its best the movement swells to Stravinsky's sensuous score and the film nicely captures both the noble and primitive sides of the composer's personality...This is a classy and elegant ballet film that's here for the ages."
Glenn Sumi, NOW Magazine Online Edition
"Recommended...worthy of inclusion in school, public, and academic libraries that have an audience for dance. It is a high quality film in terms of its audio and video and the content will appeal to a large user group, ranging in age from teenager to mature adult."
Joan Stahl, Educational Media Reviews Online