Composers
Pyotr Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
Russian composer of the Romantic era. Tchaikovsky’s wide-ranging output includes symphonies, operas, ballets, instrumental and chamber music and songs. He wrote some of the most popular concert and theatrical music in the classical repertoire, including the ballets Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker, the 1812 Overture, his First Piano Concerto, his last three numbered symphonies, and the opera Eugene Onegin.
Aurora
UK 1932
75 feet
16mm B&W, silent
A performance of the pas de deux Aurora from Act 3 of Tchaikovsky's ballet The Sleeping Beauty. Aurora is danced by the Russian ballerina Toumanova partnered probably by a male dancer from de Basil's Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, to which she belonged.
Archive Source: BFI National Archive
Mariage d'Aurore
UK 1936
13 mins
Digibeta + DVD (Reference copy only) B&W
Sections from a performance of Aurora's wedding from Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty by Colonel de Basil's company of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. Dancers include Tamara Toumanova and Irina Baronova.
Archive source: BFI National Archive
Opera in Rehearsal 1936-38
UK c. 1938
65 mins
DVD (Reference copy only only) B&W + Col, silent
Amateur film footage of opera dress rehearsals at Sadler's Wells and the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo at Covent Garden.
Archive source: BFI National Archive
The Bolshoi Theatre Ballet of Moscow in an Excerpt from Act Two of Swan Lake (aka Bolshoi Ballet Swan Lake) (Music at Ten)
UK Dir Margaret Dale 1956
Archive source: BFI National Archive
The Sleeping Beauty
UK 1952 Dir John de Vere Loder
9 mins
DVD (Reference copy only) B&W
Extracts from The Sleeping Beauty danced by members of Sadler's Wells Ballet at Covent Garden; with Beryl Grey, John Field, Margaret Dale, Violetta Elvin, and Alexis Racine.
Archive source: BFI National Archive
The Sleeping Beauty
USSR 1964 Dir Appolinari Dudko, Konstantin Sergeyev
87 mins
35mm Col
Film adaptation of the Tchaikovsky ballet.
Archive source: BFI National Archive
Eugene Onegin
UK 1966 Dir Peter Wright
37 mins
DVD (Reference copy only) B&W
Ballet staged for television based on Pushkin's poem, to the score by Tchaikovsky, with choreography by John Cranko. Penman catalogue no. 94.
Archive source: BFI National Archive
Nureyev’s Nutcracker/ De Stijl (Release)
UK 1968 Prod Colin Nears
10 mins
DVD (Reference copy only) Col
With Rudolf Nureyev, Merle Park. Choreography to Tchaikovsky’s score by Rudolf Nureyev, Vassily Vainonen.
Archive source: BFI National Archive
The Nutcracker
UK 1975 Dir Ben Harrison
10 mins
16mm Col
Pas de deux from The Nutcracker danced by Doreen Wells and Cyril Atanassof, at Wynyard Park, Cleveland.
Archive source: BFI National Archive
The Nutcracker
UK 1976 Dir John Vernon
102 mins
Beta SP + DVD (Reference copy only) Col
TV presentation of the new production of Tchaikovsky's Christmas classic, performed by the London Festival Ballet.
Archive source: BFI National Archive
Swan Lake
UK 1980 Dir John Michael Phillips and Norman Morrice
134 mins
DVD (Reference copy only) Col
Royal Ballet performance of the Tchaikovsky ballet from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, based on the original choreography by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, adapted by Frederick Ashton.
Archive source: BFI National Archive
Swan Lake
UK/Denmark 1989 Dir Thomas Grimm
116 mins
Beta SP + DVD (Reference copy only) Col
Natalia Makarova introduces her production of Tchaikovsky's ballet.
Archive source: BFI National Archive
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
Russian-born, naturalised French, later naturalised American composer, pianist, and conductor.widely acknowledged as one of the most important and influential composers of 20th century music. First performed with the Ballets Russes in Paris in 1913, The Rite of Spring caused a revolution in performance and the development of a new form of rhythmic composition. Other works include Petrushka, The Firebird, The Soldier’s Tale, The Rake’s Progress, Pulcinella, Apollo and other ballets.
The Rake's Progress
UK 1961 Dir Margaret Dale
40 mins
Beta SP B&W + DVD (Reference copy only)
Inspired by William Hogarth's paintings, Ninette de Valois' ballet charts the path to the madhouse trodden by an eighteenth century profligate. Music by Gavin Gordon, with Donald Britton in the title role.
Archive source: BFI National Archive
Petrushka
UK 1962 Dir Margaret Dale
36 mins
Digibeta + DVD (Reference copy only) B&W
Royal Ballet production, under the direction of Dame Ninette de Valois, of the ballet revived by Serge Grigoriev and Lubov Tchernicheva. Director (The Royal Ballet) Ninette de Valois Director and Producer Margaret Dale, A Ballet by Alexandre Benois. Royal Ballet production revived by Serge Grigoriev. Choreography by Michel Fokine, Principal Choreographer (The Royal Ballet) Frederick Ashton.
Archive source: BFI National Archive + BFI Special Collections: Rehearsal Script, May 1962; Camera Script May 1962; Crowd Plans. Photographs and Mounted photographs.
The Royal Ballet in Rehearsal: The Rite of Spring
UK 1962 Dir Sidney Nolan
47 mins
16mm B&W
The Royal Ballet rehearses the entire ballet. Includes an appendix with some repeated sections filmed more closely. Décor and costumes Sidney Nolan, music Igor Stravinsky, choreography Kenneth MacMillan. With Monica Mason as the Chosen Maiden.
Archive source: BFI National Archive
The Firebird
UK 1965 Dir Margaret Dale
DVD (Reference copy only) B&W
40 mins
Television version of the Royal Ballet's production of The Firebird by Michel Fokine, to the music of Stravinsky.
Archive source: BFI National Archive
Balanchine and Stravinsky: Apollon Musagète
West Germany 1966 Dir Jamila Patten
55 mins
Beta SP B&W
Complete recording of George Balanchine's landmark ballet Apollo. The ballet is preceded by documentary material showing preparations for the performance, including orchestra rehearsals directed by Igor Stravinsky and George Balanchine choreographing cast members including Jacques D'Amboise, Suzanne Farrell, Gloria Govrin, Patricia Neary and Karin von Aroldingen.
Archive Source: BFI National Archive
Balanchine: Dance From America (Dance International)
UK 1987 Dir Merrill Brockway
124 mins
DVD (Reference copy only) Col
Re-edited version of the two-part profile of George Balanchine, founder of the New York City Ballet, transmitted as part of the Dance International series 1985/06/20 and 1985/06/27. (Introduction is different but content of programme is the same). Includes interviews with Dame Ninette de Valois, Balanchine dancing and rehearsing, sequences with Stravinsky and excerpts from his most famous ballets including Apollo, Serenade, Agon, Four Temperaments, Chaconne, Stravinsky Violin Concerto. On-screen participants include Mikhail Baryshnikov.
Archive source: BFI National Archive
Symphony of Psalms
Netherlands 1980 Dir Fred Bosman
30 mins
DVD (Reference copy only) Col
The Netherlands Dance Theatre perform Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms. Choreography by Jiri Kylian.
Archive source: BFI National Archive
The Rite of Spring (Invitation to the Dance)
West Germany 1980 Dir Pit Weyrich
40 mins
DVD (Reference copy only) Col
Dance Theatre of Wuppertal, choreography by Pina Bausch
Archive source: BFI National Archive
Pulcinella (tx 22/10/1988)
Dir Bob Lockyer
44 mins
Video Col
Performance of Richard Alston's Pulcinella, to Stravinsky's score,by the Rambert Dance Company.
Archive source: BFI National Archive
The Firebird
Barbara Willis Sweete
CA 2003
51 mins
DVD (Reference copy only) Col
Choreography by James Kudelka to Stravinsky’s score, combining classical ballet with graceful special effects; performed by the Canadian National Ballet, with the Kirov Orchestra conducted by Valery Gergiev.
Archive source: BFI National Archive
Sergei Prokofiev (1891 - 1953)
Russian composer, pianist and conductor who mastered numerous musical genres and is regarded as one of the major composers of the twentieth century.
Cinderella
UK 1960 Dir Mark Stuart
70 mins
DVD (Reference copy only) B&W
The Royal Ballet Company in Frederick Ashton's production of Sergei Prokofiev's Cinderella, the title role danced by Margot Fonteyn.
Archive source: BFI National Archive
Monitor: Prokofiev (Item) (aka Portrait of a Soviet Composer)
UK 1961 Dir Ken Russell
29 mins
DVD (Reference copy only) B&W
Documentary about the life of Sergei Prokofiev, composer of the Ballets Romeo and Juliet, Peter and the Wolf, Cinderella and others.
Archive source: BFI National Archive
Pencil Dance
1988 Dir Chris Casady
3 mins
Video (originally on 16mm) B&W
A ballet of black and white organic and geometric shapes, dancing to a contemporary arrangement of Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf suite. Presented at the London Film Festival 1989.
Archive source: BFI National Archive
Benjamin Britten (1913 - 76)
Best known for his orchestral and choral music and operas, Britten’s ballet The Prince of the Pagodas (1956) is also part of the classical repertoire in Britain.
The Prince Of the Pagodas
UK 1957 Dir John de Vere Loder
29 mins
Digitbeta or DVD Col (Reference copy only) Col
Amateur film of members of the Royal Ballet dancing the Prince of the Pagodas in November 1956 and June 1957. With Svetlana Beriosova, David Blair. The emperor makes his entrance reprimanding the jester who is sitting on his throne ... Music by Benjamin Britten, Choreography by John Cranko.
Archive source: BFI National Archive
Siobhan Davies: The Choreographer and the Dance (Dancemakers) (1986) BBC
45 mins
DVD (Reference copy only) Col
Siobhan Davies, choreographer at the London Contemporary Dance Theatre, talks about the origins of the work Bridge the Distance which is performed by members of the LCDT. Music by Benjamin Britten.
Archive source: BFI National Archive
The Prince of the Pagodas
UK 1990 Dir Derek Bailey
130 mins
DVD (Reference copy only) Col
Performance of Kenneth MacMillan's ballet set to music by Benjamin Britten, performed by The Royal Ballet and recorded at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. With Darcey Bussell, Jonathan Cope.
Archive source: BFI National Archive
