AllMovie

Though John de Vere Loder is the credited director for the British documentary Bolshoi Ballet, chances are that producer Paul Czinner was responsible for the pacing and tone of the film. Divided into seven sections, the film begins with highlights from six ballets, including Dance of the Tartars, Swan Lake and Faust. The second half of the film is devoted to a performance of Giselle, choreographed by L. Lavrovsky and featuring Galina Ulanova. The music is provided by the Royal Opera House Covent Garden Orchestra, under the direction of Yuri Faier. The film was originally released at 100 minutes; 5 minutes of Giselle were truncated for the video issue.