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** 1/2”Giselle.” *** “Romeo and Juliet.” Kultur. $39.95 each.
Previously issued on CBS/Fox, both of these Bolshoi Ballet performances date from the mid-’70s. Both feature Natalia Bessmertnova and Mikhail Lavrovsky--and both suffer from major cuts. The studio-filmed “Giselle” is further weakened by feeble sound and I. Vorobeva’s cheery pastel operetta-style sets. However, Bessmertnova is a great Giselle--shy, deep, strange, unforgettable--and is nobly partnered. “Romeo and Juliet,” taped live on stage in the version choreographed by Lavrovsky’s father, Leonid, boasts spectacular scenic vistas by Piotr Williams and the kind of total commitment from the dancers that is archetypally Bolshoi. Bessmertnova’s Juliet doesn’t outclass the classic Bolshoi portrayal by Galina Ulanova (available on VAI), but she and Lavrovsky bring impressive conviction and technical flair to their roles. Information: (800) 458-5887.
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