Swan Lake (Svetlana Zakharova-Roberto Bolle, La Scala 2004)

This is a must to have Swan Lake version. It's the famous Vladimir Bourmeister production, which the Paris Opera Ballet used for years prior to Nureyev's production.

The DVD captures and preserves a compelling production headlined by three outstanding dancers. Svetlana Zakharova and Roberto Bolle are not only great ballet technicians, but persuasive actors as well. In act II, when Odette is released from Rothbart’s spell for the nocturnal hours, she is appropriately sad and miserable. Although she spends the night dancing with a handsome suitor, the hopelessness of her situation is written on her every expression. But, as Odile, Zahkarova is alluring, cunning, and cruelly charming.

Roberto Bolle is everything a production of Swan Lake could want in a Prince Siegfried. He is a talented dancer, brimming over with muscular grace, confidence, and passion. Bolle is a young man abundantly blessed with talent and good looks. Antonino Sutera is a short fellow with big talent. He delivers some spectacular and dazzling dancing as the Jester in acts I and III. Rothbart (Gianni Ghisleni) makes courtesy appearances in the second act. Mostly he stands on a rock and flaps his wings. The gesture is rendered silly by bringing him into close-up. His role in act III is better integrated into the plot. This Rothbart does very little dancing.

The sets feature a nicely painted backdrop showing a waterfall that remains throughout the evening. Additional set pieces are used to differentiate the locals. The costuming is colorful. The orchestra plays well under James Tuggle, the lighting is good, and the sound (available in three formats) is excellent. Like so many of these videos of stage events, the flow of the dancing is frequently interrupted by gratuitous close-ups of bouncing heads and torsos, shots not wide enough to include all the people dancing, and some special effects that are of debatable value. This particular video is more respectful of the dancing than many others. It is presented in 16:9 anamorphic wide screen.
With nearly a dozen Swan Lake videos currently available, featuring many of the major companies and exponents of the key roles and presenting an assortment of versions by a host of choreographers, the viewer has a bounty of riches from which to choose. The superb dancing and characterizations by Zakharova, Bolle, and Sutera make this video well worth watching.