It's not the dancer's fault, it's just her facial features that must be similar or something, but to me it feels like seeing Lady Gaga dressed as a ballerina and dancing... which makes me unable to enjoy this 100%. :( Pity, it's one of my fav parts.
i agree this versions lots better, so much dynamism passion and feeling put into their dance routinebeautifull (alexandra anseralli and valeri hristov) PURE JOY to watch
The pas de deux, in the last two minutes of this section, are copy-protected against downloading to RealPlayer, so that the dancing is done in a horribly stuttering manner. Can anything be done to get around that?
although they are dancing their steps beautifully, they aren't dancing with any passion. I'd rather watch a passionate performance than a dance with perfect technique any day of the week.. but they are still really good i don't want to take that away from them =P
I'm kind of sad I watched the Cope/Yoshida video before I saw this one. Same choreography, but this just doesn't even compare. Don't get me wrong, these two are very good, but Cope and Yoshida's version made me emotional. This made me say to myself, "Meh."
alexandra ansanelli is so beautiful in this she still has that balanchine preciseness from new york city ballet and it still shows after she left for the royal ballet in this one
Having played principal horn for this ballet for many many years, I must praise the horn section in this video! You never get a rest in this ballet and towards the latter portion must play the relentless high E, F# and G's in the 2 pages of triplets in this gorgeous interlude. Any horn player who has ever done this can tell you the sheer pain involved. This is one of the only videos I have seen where the horn section plays them all, not leaving any out or down an octave. Strong also! BRAVO!
I think we are all somewhat spoiled. The 1985 performance probably was an exceptional performance. But we are only human. The personal changes. In former times people could not compare with a performance from 23 years ago. I must admit though the crew from 2008 had the model and could strive for the better. But it's true they didn't.
Although her technique is good I'm sure, she is the one Sugar Plum Fairy I didn't enjoy to watch in the pas de deux. Far too strained, without any connection between her and her partner. Such a difference compared to Jonathan and Miyako...
Her Balanchine hands are driving me crazy! I know she has four fingers and a thumb but I would like her to have adopted more of the RB upper-body style. She is great but this is not my favorite thing I have seen her in.
this is NOT my favorite cast. The sugar-plum prince and nutcracker prince are absolutely amazing but Clara is awful and the sugar-plum fairy merely ok
@al1936ful well she is just not the strongest of the Royal Ballet's Claras
she was dancing a principal role but the soloists really outshone her In the marzipan or flute dance, she couldn't do a clean double once where as the other dancers' turns were almost perfect It was not a strong performance and most of the time I was worried she wouldn't be able to do the steps without falling Her acting irked me too The Royal Ballet has in the past had such strong Clara's that this disappointed me.
I like the Pas de Deux with Miyako Yoshida a lot better. Even though Alexandra may have nice lines and extensions, I think Miyako's expression is a lot better...
@jkyou1947 This is available on DVD in England with Iohna Loots as Clara, Ricardo Cervera as the Nutcracker/Prince, and Gary Avis as Drosselmeyer, just as in this one, but it isn't available yet in the U.s. But on the DVD, Miyako Yoshida is the one who plays the Sugar Plum Fairy, not Alexandra Ansanelli,and Steven Macrae is her Prince, not Valeri Hristov.
@Beatlegirl09 It's not a song; it's a musical piece. This is the Adagio from the Pas de Deux . After this section comes the Tarantella, then the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, and then the Coda.
Not my favorite Sugar Plum Fairy, but it was okay. Anyone who likes this should definitely watch Jonathan Cope and Miyako Yoshida dancing this! Miyako Yoshida is one of my favorite ballerinas:)
@Bellzs Well, the version with Yoshida and Cope was performed in 1985, so I'm assuming this one replaced it! It makes me sad. They were amazing.... *sigh*.....
That's really too bad. Thede 'new' dancers are good, but I still miss the passion , subtility and way of dancing of Yoshida and Cope. They're my all-time favorites, that won't change.
I had the pleasure of meeting Ms Ansanelli a numbe of times while working at the Royal Opera House, and found her a warm,charming person as well as being a Principal Ballerina and is missed by many here.
was watching this one for this year 2009 on t.v.,the dancers who performed this part was excellente,but true everyone else was just ok,& this year too,never really seen this ballet perform though,but excellente costumes & backdrops!
I read an interview with her in Pointe Magazine saying she is heading in a different direction in her life. Does anyone know why she retired at such a relatively early age and at the height of her career?
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
Where the fuck have you been retard? She has retired everyone knows this she even issued a fucking statement in the dance press announcing her retirement.
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
Listen, you racist PIG why not hang out with your KKK redneck scumbag friends, burn a cross and kill some Muslims you fucking biggot. That is when you're not spreading salacious rumours about ex ballerinas, people like you make me sick, you're the reason the US is destroying Iraq and Afghanistan, PIG.
You seem to have a hard time understanding the correct meaning meaning of the word "racist." In addition, you appear to be alluding to right wing-radicaal organizations, but if you take the time to read my profile you'll see I'm by no means associated with them. I am a liberal at heart, but paradoxically feel that Islamism stands against everyting liberal or progressive in this world. But maybe such a concept is too abstract for a person like you to understand.
I also find it ironic that you take the time to point fingers to bring attention to how "hateful" other people are, when simply the voice of your messages shows the bitternes in your person.
Back to the priginal subject, I hold Alexandra in the highest of regards and respect her dancing and choices. I don't live in the UK so when i saw her in the US I knew she had left the royal ballet. Since i saw her taking class i didn't assume she had retired.
Yoshida and McRae were great.
rhillner 1 month ago
i prefer steven mcrae.!
genaro100193 2 months ago
what is the music after the 6th minute called?
maryatzampou 2 months ago
It's not the dancer's fault, it's just her facial features that must be similar or something, but to me it feels like seeing Lady Gaga dressed as a ballerina and dancing... which makes me unable to enjoy this 100%. :( Pity, it's one of my fav parts.
MsJP1537 2 months ago
@MsJP1537 I see what you mean. Maybe it's that the make up is done in a similar fashion?
TheImmortalMuffins 2 months ago
alexandra, there sugar plum fair looks an awful lot like anne hathaway to me.
giodandis 2 months ago
I still prefer miyako. She's got unethereal grace
mimprincesa 2 months ago
the sugar plum fairy was not my favorite
MizBizL 2 months ago
4:30 to 4:40 Major cough
caramelllllo 2 months ago
This is one of my favorite versions of The Nutcracker, but not my favorite Sugarplum Fairy :/
dekkerfan1 2 months ago
Valeri Hristov Looks like a Real Prince from the Royal Family !! he looks really amazing and soft in his work !!
zorro18206 3 months ago
i agree this versions lots better, so much dynamism passion and feeling put into their dance routinebeautifull (alexandra anseralli and valeri hristov) PURE JOY to watch
sallybeeish 3 months ago in playlist Favorite videos
The pas de deux, in the last two minutes of this section, are copy-protected against downloading to RealPlayer, so that the dancing is done in a horribly stuttering manner. Can anything be done to get around that?
johnbleroy 3 months ago
@johnbleroy This comment was meant for the Act II, Part 4 section. Sorry.
johnbleroy 3 months ago
Part 3. Part 3. Two minutes at the end.
johnbleroy 3 months ago
Yoshida and Cope dance with much more emotion and fell the music.that's why I love their version much more(:
yarden4080 3 months ago
beautifull all the hard works paid off they make it look so lovely and gracefull i love the ballet
sallybeeish 4 months ago in playlist sallybeeish's favourites
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awesome ballet
spots55112 4 months ago
not the cleanest transitions here!
jbiebergirlark 5 months ago
i admire a man that can dance ballet some guys say real men wear pink NO real men wear tu tus
happysun995 7 months ago 4
@happysun995 ikr
MsMinervaMink 7 months ago
Guys who dance ballet must be very strong. Yummy<3
Roseberry1905 7 months ago 4
beautiful =') <3
moiichannal 7 months ago 2
wow, she must be dead tired by the end of those fouettes as her leg barely goes up to 45' on the last diagonal upstage with the prince...
tedsler 8 months ago
although they are dancing their steps beautifully, they aren't dancing with any passion. I'd rather watch a passionate performance than a dance with perfect technique any day of the week.. but they are still really good i don't want to take that away from them =P
gcblue18 10 months ago 2
I'm kind of sad I watched the Cope/Yoshida video before I saw this one. Same choreography, but this just doesn't even compare. Don't get me wrong, these two are very good, but Cope and Yoshida's version made me emotional. This made me say to myself, "Meh."
talon1824 1 year ago
I have to say I saw the National Ballet this year and it doesn't even compare to the Royal Ballet's version, also the music was edited :(
The star was Erina Takahashi was superb as the Sugar Plum fairy
DODODADATUMTEETAAA 1 year ago
Oh dear, don't bother with this. Yoshida/McRae show how it should be done, watch them instead. I'm sorry there's no comparison.
annakardar 1 year ago
alexandra ansanelli is so beautiful in this she still has that balanchine preciseness from new york city ballet and it still shows after she left for the royal ballet in this one
sylvieguillemfanx10 1 year ago
BTW, My comment regarding the horns is,of course, in reference to the Pas De Deux.
SBronxNYC 1 year ago
Having played principal horn for this ballet for many many years, I must praise the horn section in this video! You never get a rest in this ballet and towards the latter portion must play the relentless high E, F# and G's in the 2 pages of triplets in this gorgeous interlude. Any horn player who has ever done this can tell you the sheer pain involved. This is one of the only videos I have seen where the horn section plays them all, not leaving any out or down an octave. Strong also! BRAVO!
SBronxNYC 1 year ago
I think we are all somewhat spoiled. The 1985 performance probably was an exceptional performance. But we are only human. The personal changes. In former times people could not compare with a performance from 23 years ago. I must admit though the crew from 2008 had the model and could strive for the better. But it's true they didn't.
Littlewhitelephant 1 year ago
Although her technique is good I'm sure, she is the one Sugar Plum Fairy I didn't enjoy to watch in the pas de deux. Far too strained, without any connection between her and her partner. Such a difference compared to Jonathan and Miyako...
Bellzs 1 year ago
Her Balanchine hands are driving me crazy! I know she has four fingers and a thumb but I would like her to have adopted more of the RB upper-body style. She is great but this is not my favorite thing I have seen her in.
milli810 1 year ago
@milli810 Yeah She's doesn't have or didn't have the Royal ballet style... Very Balanchiney.
icarrus4u 1 year ago
Her Balanchine hands are driving me crazy! She is great but this is not my favorite thing I have seen her in.
milli810 1 year ago
The tutus from the Royal and the PO are beautiful. Does anyone know where/how I can get some that they are not using anymore?
Thank you.
fishyfish4444 1 year ago
this is NOT my favorite cast. The sugar-plum prince and nutcracker prince are absolutely amazing but Clara is awful and the sugar-plum fairy merely ok
taliaregan13 1 year ago
@taliaregan13 What's wrong with Clara?!?
al1936ful 1 year ago
@al1936ful well she is just not the strongest of the Royal Ballet's Claras
she was dancing a principal role but the soloists really outshone her In the marzipan or flute dance, she couldn't do a clean double once where as the other dancers' turns were almost perfect It was not a strong performance and most of the time I was worried she wouldn't be able to do the steps without falling Her acting irked me too The Royal Ballet has in the past had such strong Clara's that this disappointed me.
trega13 1 year ago
I like Valeri Hristov.
ballet701 1 year ago
those dancers are a shame!
sankemsjak 1 year ago
don't care for the annie lennox look-alike! i know - they're amazing
simplicitykitty 1 year ago
I like the Pas de Deux with Miyako Yoshida a lot better. Even though Alexandra may have nice lines and extensions, I think Miyako's expression is a lot better...
jkyou1947 1 year ago
@jkyou1947 This is available on DVD in England with Iohna Loots as Clara, Ricardo Cervera as the Nutcracker/Prince, and Gary Avis as Drosselmeyer, just as in this one, but it isn't available yet in the U.s. But on the DVD, Miyako Yoshida is the one who plays the Sugar Plum Fairy, not Alexandra Ansanelli,and Steven Macrae is her Prince, not Valeri Hristov.
al1936ful 1 year ago
amo la primera melodía
dlar94 1 year ago
Yoshida and Cope's version is definitely better. They have so much more passion and feelings while dancing.
adadadas 1 year ago 28
@adadadas i also think that alina cojocaru is quite nice clara
birbanto24 1 year ago
hi what is this song called
Beatlegirl09 2 years ago
@Beatlegirl09 It's not a song; it's a musical piece. This is the Adagio from the Pas de Deux . After this section comes the Tarantella, then the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, and then the Coda.
al1936ful 1 year ago
Sorry to say this but the Nureyev(Kirov version)is the greatest Nutcracker PDD ever.. all these other ":versions" bore me ...
danbytheriver 2 years ago
@danbytheriver sorry to say this, but the yoshida, cope 2000 performance is THE GREATEST evr, far better than all the other boring versions
zac1948 1 year ago
Not my favorite Sugar Plum Fairy, but it was okay. Anyone who likes this should definitely watch Jonathan Cope and Miyako Yoshida dancing this! Miyako Yoshida is one of my favorite ballerinas:)
dancingfiddler 2 years ago
I am the opposite - I much prefer Ansanelli to Yoshida; I find Ansanelli much more spontaneous and interesting. She was wonderful.
kdub10009 2 years ago
@dancingfiddler
Yeaah! You're my person! Do you know if that version is replaced by this one? I really miss watching that one. Thay were wonderful...
Bellzs 1 year ago
@Bellzs Well, the version with Yoshida and Cope was performed in 1985, so I'm assuming this one replaced it! It makes me sad. They were amazing.... *sigh*.....
dancingfiddler 1 year ago
@dancingfiddler
That's really too bad. Thede 'new' dancers are good, but I still miss the passion , subtility and way of dancing of Yoshida and Cope. They're my all-time favorites, that won't change.
Bellzs 1 year ago
@Bellzs I absolutely agree.
dancingfiddler 1 year ago
I had the pleasure of meeting Ms Ansanelli a numbe of times while working at the Royal Opera House, and found her a warm,charming person as well as being a Principal Ballerina and is missed by many here.
chrisuk45 2 years ago
beatifulll I love it.....
likeafirstday 2 years ago
the beauty of simplicity,,,ahh beautiful and clean
houdavid23 2 years ago
Not quite as stricking as Jonathan Cope and Miyako Yoshida, but still awesome!
golubinci 2 years ago 35
was watching this one for this year 2009 on t.v.,the dancers who performed this part was excellente,but true everyone else was just ok,& this year too,never really seen this ballet perform though,but excellente costumes & backdrops!
01Jaclynn 2 years ago
i thought i had high expectations for royal ballet but ponche in plie? low develepe side??? 2 pireouettes??? come on!!!
gotballet123 2 years ago
wow this sugarplumb gives the royal ballet a bad name, she STINKS!!! who put her in that role? a blind person!!!
balletgirlthatrulz 2 years ago
I totally miss the point. What does ballet have to do with racism?
DuskDweller 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
the ballerina sucks :S
sankemsjak 2 years ago
I read an interview with her in Pointe Magazine saying she is heading in a different direction in her life. Does anyone know why she retired at such a relatively early age and at the height of her career?
lacouerfairy 2 years ago
@lacouerfairy she wasn't happy
tutus4life 2 years ago
If you read my original message you'll see that i was simply wondering rather than spreading "salacious rumors" about anyone...
aquino46 2 years ago
i saw her today, I don't know about retiring, but she did quit the Royal Ballet.
aquino46 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Where the fuck have you been retard? She has retired everyone knows this she even issued a fucking statement in the dance press announcing her retirement.
You fucking racist anti-Islamic cunt.
LaKimmois 2 years ago
She did retire, but I saw her in ballet class and i thought islam was not a race...then why are you calling me racist? do you even know my own race?
aquino46 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Listen, you racist PIG why not hang out with your KKK redneck scumbag friends, burn a cross and kill some Muslims you fucking biggot. That is when you're not spreading salacious rumours about ex ballerinas, people like you make me sick, you're the reason the US is destroying Iraq and Afghanistan, PIG.
LaKimmois 2 years ago
You seem to have a hard time understanding the correct meaning meaning of the word "racist." In addition, you appear to be alluding to right wing-radicaal organizations, but if you take the time to read my profile you'll see I'm by no means associated with them. I am a liberal at heart, but paradoxically feel that Islamism stands against everyting liberal or progressive in this world. But maybe such a concept is too abstract for a person like you to understand.
aquino46 2 years ago
I also find it ironic that you take the time to point fingers to bring attention to how "hateful" other people are, when simply the voice of your messages shows the bitternes in your person.
Back to the priginal subject, I hold Alexandra in the highest of regards and respect her dancing and choices. I don't live in the UK so when i saw her in the US I knew she had left the royal ballet. Since i saw her taking class i didn't assume she had retired.
aquino46 2 years ago
Alexandra is so amazing, I miss getting to see her all the time here in NY.
kdub10009 2 years ago
beautiful ballerina.
actor001 2 years ago
this is wonderful, refreshing to watch a newer nutcracker of Royal ballet, thank you very much!
however very sad to hear Alexandra is retiring so early. her dancing is wonderful.
saritachan 2 years ago
Oh! She is retiring? I had no idea!
Roccarocks 2 years ago