K077 DVD Ballet The Nutcracker - Kirov Ballet - Larisa Lezhnina ★ This is a classic performance of The Nutcracker. The picture quality reflects its age. ★ Screen: Small screen size. ★ The Kirov Ballet of this era was a golden age, with a high level of performance. Running time: 104 minutes Region: All Recorded: October 17-20, 1993, Live at the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg Kirov Ballet (now Mariinsky Ballet) ★★★ The following is quoted from a review on the web: This "Nutcracker" feels like a classic among classics, and it's very beautiful. Especially in the Land of Sweets, you'll find yourself saying "cute." The romantic and sweet feeling, based on pink, makes you feel dreamy. The party scene in Act 1 is a bit disappointing because adults play the children's roles. I thought it wouldn't have felt so out of place if children had appeared in the party scene of Act 1, since children dance the "French" dance in the Land of Sweets. However, you'll be captivated by Lezhnina's cute and perfect dancing. This is a DVD you won't regret owning. Tchaikovsky wrote "Sleeping Beauty" and "The Nutcracker" for the Mariinsky Theatre (the Kirov Ballet of the Soviet era, and even now, during the Russian era, this is the name). Therefore, the Mariinsky (i.e., Kirov) is the original, the real deal. That's why you can feel the beauty and perfection in all the dancers, including the three students of the Reed Flute, and the depth and strength of tradition. This music, written in 1892, has been performed and played in this theater for over 100 years, so the orchestra's performance is also wonderful, and the harmony between the dance and the music is indescribable. The opening scene with the falling snow was beautiful. Lezhnina is lovely and fits the role perfectly. The students from the ballet school dancing the Reed Flute dance were also cute.