Rudolf Nureyev & Merle Park in The Nutcracker Grand Pas De Deux - ROH 1968

This historic 1968 Covent Garden production of Tchaikovsky's ballet masterpiece captures Rudolf Nureyev at the peak of his career. Nureyev's legendary performance makes this the definitive Nutcracker on video. Also features Merle Park as Clara, with Artists of the Royal Ballet, London.
Rudolf Nureyev staged The Nutcracker for the first time in November 1967 for the Royal Swedish Ballet following the request of Erick Bruhn. This version was to be revived several times in London, Milan, Buenos Aires and Berlin.
The original libretto by Alexandre Dumas was completely revised by Nureyev who gave his version of The Nutcracker a psychoanalytic dimension: Drosselmeyer and the Prince are one and the same person, representing the ideal man dreamt up by the heroine, ready to leave her childhood and become a teenager.

[@NancyAyers-ek7eo]

Ineffably beautiful! 💖

[@kaythomas8521]

Ballet during its finest years...... 👏👏👏

[@marieclairegraneri5634]

Grazie mille per questa condivisione ! Wao!

[@allthingsballet]

Grazie a lei!!

[@ellenscuzzarello8020]

Questa volta mi avete fatto sognare.

[@allthingsballet]

💙

[@Dima.Demidov]

Oh, these Nureyev synchros! And Merle Park is brilliant, too. 💖

[@vapaus831]

Why the ROH don't use Nureyev's choreography now?

[@kaythomas8521]

Theyve got some pride hang up. No doubt. Everyone has to feel as tho THEY are the BEST. Ya know how THAT goes....don't want to "stoop" to the Russians. Ya think?!

[@psychteachyb]

I was a huge fan of Nureyev but I think there are parts of this pas de deux that would be very challenging (lifts and spins) and others are a little strange (for want of a better word) in his solo. This TV production shown on Christmas Day (I think) around 1969 (I think) was my initiation into the glorious world of ballet at the tender age of 16...it has never lost its magic for me.

[@kaythomas8521]

In my opinion. He was half man half woman in his dancing

[@psychteachyb]

@@kaythomas8521 I know he tried to expand the male roles so in that way rather than supporting his partner in many places they dance the same steps so they are not partners but two solos...subtle difference. Today there are many fabulous male dancers but Nureyev was the one who paved the way for them.