These 2CD mid-price sets, drawn from the catalogues of EMI Classics and Virgin Classics, present a selection of the best-loved and most popular ballet music by the great composers, performed by the world"s leading artists. The pas de deux is the heart of any classical ballet. It is the climactic section when the two principal dancers - the ballerina and her partner - show off their technical skills in a display of pure dancing that excites and moves the audience to rapturous applause. It usually consists of an entrance section for the two dancers, often going on to a technically demanding adagio that rises to a powerful climax. The first two items in this album from Le Corsaire and Don Quixote both begin in this way. Then the two dancers have a brief solo section called a variation, intended to show their individual skills. Finally the two dancers come together in a rousing finale, for which they usually save their most spectacular feats, including breathtaking leaps, whirlwind pirouettes and heart-stopping fish dives. There can be variations on this structure, but the essential thing is that the pas de due should give the two principal dancers their moment of glory and the audience its chance to show its full appreciation of their talents. This programme is a veritable cornucopia of favourite pas de deux from all the great ballets of the world.