Delibes - Sylvia
Bussell; Royal Ballet; ROHO / Bond
Opus Arte OA0986D

Release date November 2007

Darcey Bussell dances the title role Sylvia, a nymph of the hunting goddess Diana who has sworn to renounce love, in this stunning production. Roberto Bolle plays the shepherd Aminta who falls in love with Sylvia, and his grace and elegance is the perfect match for Bussell. The ballet was attended by Tchaikovsky a year after its Paris première in 1876 and he said of the work: ‘What charm and elegance, what riches in the melody, the rhythm, the harmony. I was ashamed. If I had known this music before, I would not have written Swan Lake’. Delibes uses the orchestra to great effect, adding some interesting colours with, for example, the use of the saxophone in the Barcarolle of Act 3. Originally choreographed by Frederick Ashton in 1952, much of this ballet was virtually lost for almost 40 years. It was not until Ashton discussed the idea of a revival with Christopher Newton in 1988 (who was first involved with the ballet as a student at the Royal Ballet school and at the time had conveniently made notes of much of the original choreography) that the idea of a re-working came about. Unfortunately Ashton died before the reconstruction began but had talked extensively to Newton about his ideas, which meant he could complete the work in time for the 75th anniversary of the Royal Ballet. The result is a remarkable production full of all the opulence and creative set and costume design one expects from the Royal Ballet. The release of this also marks Darcey Bussell’s retirement from the company following a twenty-year career.

Dawn Cooke