Separate the creative roles
Royal Ballet and Opera’s Giselle cinema page separately credits choreography, original choreography and music. Its Nutcracker sheet distinguishes choreography, music, scenario, production and design. These actual credits demonstrate why the composer’s name alone cannot identify every creative decision visible on stage.
Copy the role label with the name. A credit reading after an earlier choreographer should not be flattened into a claim that one person created every element of the current staging.
Match the production and performance
Start with the ballet title, company, choreographic credit and production. Then add the recorded performance’s cast and date when supplied. A company can revive a production with different dancers, and one dancer can perform the same role in more than one staging.
Use the cast sheet tied to the actual recording rather than a general season page. If the publisher says casting is subject to change, preserve that limitation until the recorded edition identifies who performed. A promotional photograph may depict another cast and is not sufficient confirmation.
For a comparison, state whether you are comparing choreography, design or interpretation by individual dancers. Those are related but different questions, and they need different credits.
Keep the viewing note specific
A useful entry includes the work, company, choreographer or choreographic lineage, principal roles, recording date and source. Add the composer separately. This makes the note searchable and avoids confusing a new cast with a wholly new ballet.
If a favourite scene looks different in another recording, check the staging and scene context before treating it as an omission or playback fault. A trailer can also select fragments that do not reveal the production’s full structure. Read the complete edition’s description and runtime. Finally, verify the current authorised viewing page: a correct cast or choreography match establishes the production’s identity, not Canadian availability, a scheduled screening or inclusion in a subscription package.
A triple bill needs another distinction: the evening’s title and the individual ballets within it. Record which work contains the scene you enjoyed instead of assigning its choreographic credit to the whole programme.
Related questions
Does the same score guarantee the same choreography?
No. Check the choreographic and production credits.
Can a publicity photograph confirm the recorded cast?
Use the cast sheet or credits for that recording.
Sources and scope
Scope notes distinguish published documentation, supplied information and editorial methods. They do not report a hands-on service test.
- RBO: Giselle cinema production — Separates music, choreography and original choreography.
- RBO: Nutcracker credits — Separates music, scenario, production, design and choreography.
