Bart : La Source

« The ballet La source, jointly composed by Minkus and Delibes, is hardly ever staged, so this well filmed Paris Opera Ballet performance is a very welcome release on both Blu-ray and DVD. …the choreography is winning and its execution by the Paris dancers is first-rate. It’s unlikely that we will see the piece staged elsewhere any time soon, so this will be a necessary purchase for fans of classical ballet. » – MUSICWEB INTERNATIONAL

«Bart’s choreography is wonderful classical ballet with a few modern touches that fit the scenario and music perfectly. The dancers are all excellent, as is the chorus. Conductor Kessels makes the orchestra sound like the score is part of the standard ballet repertoire.

…Overall this is an outstanding performance, the music is a welcome change from the mainstream repertoire, the choreography and dancing is excellent, and the production very beautiful.» – AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE

« The story that was used came from Charles Nuitter and Arthur Saint-Leon, and was set in the colourful and exotic Orient where Naila, the Spirit of the Springs, falls in love with the handsome hunter, Djemil, but he loves, in vain, the gorgeous Nouredda who is promised to the powerful Khan of Gengeh. So it was that Naila sacrifices herself in order to consummate the love of Djemil and Nouredda. It was a scenario that generated a series of highly coloured and complex dances that proved to be the feature of the opening production. It’s success was short lived, not helped by a fire at the Paris Opera in 1873 which destroyed the elaborate set and costumes. So it laid dormant until the choreographer, Jean-Guillaume Bart, assumed the task of a revival in 2011.

He was to return to the original score with additions and amendments made by Delibes who had later fashioned an attractive score. It was to be the musical backdrop to a quite spectacular performance with Ludmilla Pagliero as Naila; Karl Paquetta dancing the athletic role of Djemil, and the fluid Mathias Heymann as Zael. The applause that greeted their solos towards the end of the first act was a just reward, though it is the effervescent Corps de Ballet that bring so much colour into a set designed by Eric Ruf. Add to that the excellent orchestra of the Paris Opera conducted by Koen Kessels, and with a playing time of two hours, the release has my recommendation. » – DAVID’S REVIEW CORNER