http://www.amazon.com/Anyuta-Ballet-Ekaterina-Maximova/dp/B000PC6EO4


Based on the short story Anna on the Neck by Anton Chekhov


Anyuta Bolshoi Ballet 1982 DVDrip and mp3 score

From the History of the Ballet

A television ballet film, with its long close-ups of the dancers, the acting episodes minus dance constructed according to the principles of dramatic theatre and the montage of alternative scenes, appears to be "untranslatable" into the medium of theatre. But it was on the basis of his television ballet film that Vasiliev created the original two-act ballet, Anyuta, which had its premiere in 1986, first in Italy, at Teatro di San Carlo di Napoli, and, later in the same year, at Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre. And the creation was a great success.
The part of Anyuta was created especially for Yekaterina Maximova. In this, her second encounter with the role, her first being that in the television film, Maximova added many new traits to her characterization of the heroine, enlarging the image overall, while at the same time providing a more subtle delineation of the part. As is always the case with her interpretations, Yekaterina Maximova went beyond the contours of a specific image, creating an in-depth and multi-dimensional portrait. In Maximova’s Anyuta, one could perceive Anya from Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard, Nerina from Talents and Admirers by Ostrovsky and Ibsen’s Nora. Without the slightest hint of overstatement, Maximova created a generalised image, imparting a truly Chekhovian intonation to her dancing of Anyuta. In this role she created an image of Beauty that was poignantly captivating and very fragile. As in the television version of the ballet, the part of Pyotr Leontevich was danced by Vladimir Vasiliev. The dancer’s outstanding acting ability was revealed here from a new angle, showing rare psychological insight and a disarming truth in his character’s behavior. Vasiliev’s Pyotr Leontievich was both touching, ridiculous and strikingly authentic. A key theme in Russian literature, that of the "small man", was given an evocative portrayal in his creation of this role.

Yekaterina Belova
(text from the handbook, abridged)
The author, Vladimir Vasiliev, tells about his ballet:

The melodies and rhythm of a lit­erary work, which without hearing we sense fairly distinctly in the case of great writers, can only be conveyed in ballet if the visual harmonizes with the aural: music, noises, silent inter­ludes, etc…
I say this since I have never been able to imagine a choreographic form for the expression of human thought without one or other of the above components, and when I heard the music of Valery Gavrilin, the com­poser chosen by producer Alexander Belinsky for the television ballet film Anyuta, it acted as a spur to my imagination. And I am still surprised at the perfect match in the skills of these two artists - the artist of the word and the artist of music.

We had need of a third artist - an artist, this time, in the literal sense of the term. This was to be designer Bella Manevich.

In our production of Anyuta, based on the well-known story, Anna on the Neck by Anton Chekhov we - com­poser, designer, choreographer-producer and conductor - sought for clarity and simplicity. The means we have chosen are by no means innovatory, indeed we reverted to the fine old forms of narra­tive classical ballet.

Synopsis

Act I

Following the death of his wife, Pyotr Leontievich, a school-teacher in a provincial town, is left with three children on his hands: a grown-up daughter, Anna (Anyuta), and two little boys, Petya and Andryusha. Grieving for the untimely passing away of his spouse, Pyotr Leontievich takes increasingly to the vodka bottle.

Modest Aleeyevich, a middle–aged official, asks for Anna’s hand in marriage. Anna accepts his proposal in the hope her marriage will save her family from poverty and herself from a life of undiluted tedium and semistarvation. Anna breaks up with her sweetheart, a poor student, and goes to live with Modest Alexeyevich. She realizes only too soon that her marriage will bring her no benefits: her husband, who is close-fisted and cold-hearted, with a practical, pragmatic outlook, has no intention of helping his wife`s relatives.

Act II

At a ball given to celebrate the Christmas holiday, Anna`s youth, intelligence and beauty win the hearts of all the men present. Artynov, a rich landowner, army officers and finally even His Excellency compete for the atten¬tions and sympathy of Modest Alexeyevich`s young wife. They are ready to do anything in order to please Anna.

Anna is quite swept off her feet by her rapid ascent to fame. The attentions and love bestowed on her by the upper crust of society in a provincial town cause her to forget everything: her hateful, bor¬ing, dull-witted, as he now seems to her, husband, her drunkard father, her wretched, half-starving brothers, her former sweetheart.

Modest Alexeyevich, who immedi¬ately realizes that he stands to gain from his wife`s popularity, encour¬ages her love affairs. His career and position in society come first for Modest Alexeyevich. Very soon he is awarded the order of St. Anne and he waits impa¬tiently for new favours from his wife`s suitors.
Pyotr Leontievich is declared bank¬rupt. His few remaining belongings are confiscated and, on a frosty New Year`s Eve, he and his chil¬dren are turned out into the street.

3 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Little-known Russian ballet with marvellous cast, July 15, 2007
By 	Marc Haegeman "Marc Haegeman" (Gent, Belgium) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Vladimir Vasiliev is not only one the all-time greatest Russian dancers, the former Bolshoi star has also proven a choreographer of real distinction. VAI re-releases his two-act ballet "Anyuta" as it was initially created in 1982 as a dance film with his wife Ekaterina Maximova in the title role. Adapted for the stage four years later, it remains one of his most complete and convincing works. Based upon Anton Chekhov's short story "Anna on the neck", satirizing life in a small provincial town, Anyuta concerns a woman who after marrying upon the social ladder discovers the power of beauty and sexual attraction, yet at the expense of all those dear to her. Set to an irresistible melodious score by Valery Gavrilin, Vasiliev's choreography, even if firmly rooted in the classical idiom and reviving the tradition of Russian literary ballets, is contemporary and adroitely portrays the characters, blending sentiment with the element of grotesque.

Ekaterina Maximova is magnificent as Anyuta, conveying a breathtaking range of emotions while Vladimir Vasiliev himself, cast against type as her hapless drinking father, gives one of his most subtle and moving portrayals. Supporting roles include Gali Abaidulov as Anyuta's wealthy and powerful, but stingy and boring bureaucrat-husband, John Markovsky as the rich and spoiled Don Juan Artynov, and Marat Daukaev as the student (a character introduced by Vasiliev) whom Anyuta is genuinely in love with.