Don Quixote may not be one of the great ballets like the 3 Tchaikovskys, Giselle and Coppelia but it is a very, very good one. The ballet is generally well served on video/DVD, and this Rudolf Nureyev production is one of the best. The costumes and sets are detailed and colourful, and while the picture and sound are not mind-blowing they are better than some of the other ballet productions seen recently. The camera work is good also. The music is not one of the greatest or most memorable ballet scores but it is cleverly orchestrated and pleasant-sounding. The orchestra seem to think so because they play beautifully with fluid lines and legato and great musicianship. The conducting has authority and a sense of pulse, keeping things alive on stage while not rushing things through. The choreography syncs very well with the music, as always with Rudolf Nureyev it is highly musical, has many recognisable steps and has a real elegance to it. Nureyev is definitely the performer you'll remember most after seeing, he is so charismatic and expressive and he dances so gracefully and powerfully. Though Robert Helpmann is very dignified in the title role, and Lucette Aldous is a very charming and elegantly danced Kitri, a really nice surprise. To conclude, for Nureyev and ballet fans this Quixote is a gem. 10/10 Bethany Cox
