Le sacre du printemps

When Uwe Scholtz died in 2004 at the age of forty-six, he left behind over 100 choreographies. Labeled a Wunderkind by German critics, Scholz assumed the role of artistic director and chief choreographer of the Zurich ballet at the age of twenty-six and, four years later, went to Leipzig where he quickly earned international fame reinterpreting classics like Coppélia and choreographing such musical masterpieces as Mozart's "Great Mass," Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique, and Bruckner's Symphony No. 8. Among his greatest accomplishments is his choreography of Stravinsky's Le sacre du printemps, one of many of his ballets now available on DVD.

Le sacre du printemps is a triple feature DVD. It includes two versions of the ballet and a documentary. The first version for piano four-hands, composed by Stravinsky himself, and danced by solo male Giovanni Di Palma, is, at the least, riveting. Scholz was responsible for the lighting, costuming, stage and set design as well as the choreography. The backdrop of the stage is used for projecting film. A few shots of a young boy practicing his steps and a few from Swan Lake make it clear that this interpretation of Le sacre is Scholz's autobiography. The film shots "interact" with the dancer on the stage in scenes that move from contemplative to disturbing. The viewer may or may not like the imagery some of which is graphic, but it is guaranteed to compel the mind and impress the senses. For me, the best part of this performance was not the dancing but the music. I had the intimate sense that I was hearing it the same way Stravinsky himself, who composed at the piano, might have heard his own music.

The second ballet on the DVD is the orchestral version of Le sacre. This performance is more traditional but no less impressive. Scholz's habit of setting each musical gesture to a sympathetic movement in his dancers turns out to be surprisingly neoclassic, reminiscent of Nijinsky's use of eurythmics in the 1913 premiere by the Ballets russes. Scholz employs a large number of dancers. The body movements and orientation of the dancers mirror the polyphonic lines and inner voices in the orchestration. The choreography reveals a uniquely intimate understanding of the music.

The last feature on this DVD is the documentary "Soulscapes." This short film provides insight into the life and career of the choreographer and features interviews, studio scenes, and production highlights including Bruckner's Symphony No. 8 and Haydn's Creation.

This is an excellent DVD. The artistic content is superior and the camera and sound work is good.