Set in India, La Bayadère: The Temple Dancer is the visually stunning story of a temple dancer and her lover. This is one of the greatest 19th century ballets, highlighted by the Kingdom of Shades scene, one of the most mesmerizing and difficult classical performances in all of ballet. For a description of the creation and plot see the ballet encyclopedia. Read the pre-review of the Boston November 2013 production and a post-review. In all versions, music by Ludwig_Minkus, original choreography by Marius Petipa, but additional contributions in later performances.
For a full length performance (in three parts) from Paris at the new "Opera Bastille" use the below links. This is a brilliant performance in 720p HD. They use the Florence Clerc's choreography, which is the same as the Boston Ballet November 2013 production. The announcer discusses the Paris production in French with English subtitles. The production was a direct TV broadcast.
Principal dancers:
Orelli Dupont (Aurelie Dupont) - Nikiya, Bayadere
Hoffal't Josue (Joshua Hoffalt) - Solor, a rich and famous ksatria
Paler Ludmila (Ludmila Pagliero) - Gamzatti, the daughter of Solor
Florimon Laurier (Florimond Lorieux) - Golden Idol
This performance in 720p HD is available from the next three links. The third link, "Kingdom of the Shades", unfortunately has a few exposure problems in one of the wide angle cameras.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ikklLiQwaY (53 min)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0EJvb_lQWE (41 min)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WdHbcMch0I (50 min)
A performance by the Paris Ballet (1992) perviously in 480p SD, is now in 1080p HD. The lighting in this performance is in general darker, and the "Shades" section is more dramatic in bluish white than in the above 2013 performance. This performance has been available on the Kultur DVD label for some time.
Ballet De L'Opera De Paris 1992
Choreography - Rudolf Nureyev
Directed by Alexandre Tarta
Starring:
Dugmanta, Raja Golkonda - Jean-Marie Didiere
Gamzatti, his daughter - Elisabeth Platel
Solor, rich Kshatriya - Laurent Hilaire
Nikia, Bayadere - Isabele Guerin
The High Brahmin - Francis Malovic
Magdavaya, fakir - Lioner Delanoe
Toloragva, Kshatriya - Wilfried Romoli
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfTwzZIZ1JI (2:11)
For a wonderful broadcast Hommage to the choreographer Marius Petipa, view this full 1080p HD tribute at the Mariinsky Theater, featuring Leonoid Sarafanov, Viktoria Tereshkina and Alina Somova. The prolog is in French, broadcast by the Franco-German TV network Arte.
This video is now off Youtube due to copyright squables, maybe it will be available in the future.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awIHPITIcDs (1:16:54 hrs)
The full performance can be seen in separate videos.
These three clips in 1080p HD show the first 40 minutes the broadcast, the "Kingdom of the Shades" from La Bayadere.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-4phC-CctQ (12:11)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Oyc-6JLbwQ (14:53)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K8kPyPYBsQ (12:36)
The Paquita sections are seen in these separate videos.
The Childrens Mazurka:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVmDqLpcBRs (3:50)
And the next three scenes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a4GhBD8chk (14:13)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2q_zN1P0CLc (9:51)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YYAzY6gP5w (9:13)
Becoming the best in the arts requires being not superhuman but super talented and devotion to your art thorough practice. Here is a clip of Alina Somova being tutored for the ballet Don Quixote.