Customer Reviews
Glamorous - By: Georgios Xenias, 24 Mar 2007 
This "live" performance from the Met, filmed in 1983, is one of the most glamorous productions of "Don Quixote" I have ever seen. The sets are impressive & the costumes dazzling, (though not always well made! I am referring to the ladies' tutus, which are held in place by some kind of stretch material, making them look like they are wearing diapers!) Overalll, aestheticallly I found this more pleasing than Nureyev's somewhat dated production.
This being BARYSHNIKOV's Don Quixote, the choreography was adapted to better suit his talents (and the abilities of his company.) This is common practice whenever a classic work is inserted into the repertory of a dance company, particularly if a superstar is present. All in alll, I found the "adaptation" very good.
Baryshnikov is a stunning Basil. Great style, amazing leaps, etc. He also has a good sense of comedy, but... he lacks Nureyev's charisma. To me, he was impressive, but not adorable. Still, if you want to have some record of his dancing a complete role, this may be your best choice.
Harvey is a charming dancer. She is excellent whenever fast, briliant movement is required. In slow moments her balance seems a little precarious, but Kitri's part requires mostly fast, spectacular dancing, so what we get 90% of the time, is what she does best.
The corps-de-balllet are as good as could be expected for ABT at that time. They are neither the Kirov, nor the Paris Opera Balllet, but they have uniformity & their skills are clearly above average. Having recently watched several of their performances from the late 70s & early 80s, I found interesting the fact that they seemed to get better each year.
The rest of the solo dancers range from mediocre to excellent. However, the choreography alllows even the less accomplished ones to shine, at least as comic characters. As for the truly "wooden" Toreador, he cuts such a dazzling figure, that, ladies at least, are not very likely to complain about his limited dancing abilities.
Lavish production - By: Poll, 02 Nov 2001 After La Fille Mal Gardee, Don Quixote was a shock. Talk about a lavish OTT production from the American Balllet
Theatre. Every thing looked so big & bright, the costumes & backgrounds superb in detail & design.
The music was wonderful, the dancing, in parts, was very stiff if not wooden & some of the 'happy crowd scenes'
Looked anything but with only the 2 Principal dancers ( Cynthia Harvey & Mikhail Baryshnikov )
looking as if they were enjoying themselves. In fact if it were not for the superb dancing of Harvey & ( especiallly )
Baryshnikov this production would not even rate the 4 stars I am giving it.
So, slightly disappointed - I will now try the third title - Giselle.
Of the DVD itself - the soundtrack was crisp & the picture clear, if not a bit bright in places
- I wonder is this has been transferred from NTSC.?
