Anthony Dowell

60-minute film in which ballet star Darcey Bussell undertakes a very personal journey to meet the heroes and dancers who transformed male ballet.

A re-staging of the Royal Ballet's 1985 production, with Anthony Dowell - this time as Drosselmeyer - and a new supporting cast. This Royal Ballet production of The Nutcracker (staged by Peter Wright) is a mix of the Balanchine and Vainonen schools of the Nutcracker. The Balanchine version of the Nutcracker emphasizes the child s fantasy: a land of sweets, with comic relief. The Vainonen Nutcracker emphasizes the romantic dreams of an adolescent.

Nikiya, a temple dancer, is in love with the warrior Solor. The High Brahmin also desires Nikiya, and when she rejects him, he plans to take revenge on Solor. When the High Brahmin tells the Rajah about Solor’s secret love, the Rajah decides that Nikiya, not Solor, should be killed. Princess Gamzatti is to be married to Solor. She overhears and tries to bribe Nikiya to give up Solor, but Nikiya refuses. The Rajah and Gamzatti arrange for Nikiya to be killed by a snake bite during the engagement festivities. Despondent, Solor is filled with remorse and haunted by visions of Nikiya. He cannot complete the wedding ceremony. The gods are angered and destroy the temple with all inside it. In the afterlife, Solor and Nikiya are finally united.

A ballet version of the famous classic by Sergei Prokofiev, with narration by Anthony Dowell, who also dances the role of the Grandfather.

The Prince of the Pagodas is a ballet created for The Royal Ballet by choreographer John Cranko with music commissioned from Benjamin Britten. Its premiere took place on 1 January 1957 at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, conducted by Britten

The Sleeping Beauty unites Petipa's demanding but enchanting choreography with Tchaikovsky's wonderful score in one of the best-loved of all classical ballets. This recording of Anthony Dowell's 1994 production for The Royal Ballet, with designs by Maria Björnson, features an outstanding cast led by Viviana Durante as a radiant Princess Aurora. She is partnered by Zoltán Solymosi as Prince Florimund and Anthony Dowell himself is a glitteringly elegant embodiment of evil as the wicked fairy Carabosse. The Royal Ballet, exceptional as ever, is accompanied by the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, deftly conducted by Barry Wordsworth.

The Royal Ballet's 1980 production of Tchaikovsky's classic ballet.

Sir Peter Wright’s 1984 version of The Nutcracker for The Royal Ballet, still performed by the Company, stays close to Hoffmann’s original tale. It emphasises Drosselmeyer’s mission to find a young girl – Clara – who can break the curse imposed by the Mouse King on his nephew Hans Peter and thus restore him to human form. References to Nuremberg and German Christmas traditions are present in the settings, with a kingdom of marzipan featured in Act 2.

The untimely death of silent screen star Rudolph Valentino prompts the many women in his past to reminisce about his troubled rise to superstardom.

Cinderella is helped to the ball by her fairy godmother in The Royal Ballet's version of the classic fairy tale, using Sergei Prokofiev's music and Frederick Ashton's choreography in a comic ballet.

A musical salute to The Beatles.

A Month in the Country is a narrative ballet created in 1976 with choreography by Frederick Ashton, to the music of Frédéric Chopin (three works for piano and orchestra) arranged by John Lanchbery. It is based on the play by Ivan Turgenev of the same name, and lasts for about 40 minutes.

TV presentation of the ballet by Sir Frederick Ashton, performed by the Royal Ballet.

Classic ballet by Kenneth MacMillan to the music of Prokofiev.