mercredi 19 juin 2013

Giselle - A Chronicle Of Joy

By Haywood Hunter


The ballet, Giselle, is on a par with Hamlet in terms of its historical importance. Audiences go to see it time and again just for the opportunity of viewing the interpretation of the role by different ballet dancers. They comment that each time it is different and they see something new.

A unique take on the love triangle, the ballet is about a young, beautiful peasant girl who dies of a broken heart after learning that the wealthy nobleman, Albrecht, with whom she has fallen head over heels in love, is actually engaged to marry someone else. Hilarion, a gamekeeper who is in love with Giselle, is found agonizing at her grave by a band of ghosts. These are the spirits of young women who sadly died before their wedding days. They come out of their graves at night to seek out men whom they the torture to death.

It was the practice of the Wili to use their abundant beauty to attract vulnerable young men and force them to dance until they died of exhaustion. Hilarion, they pursued and then threw him to his death in a lake. Albrecht, to whom the band of bitter spirits turn their attention after disposing of Hilarion, fares somewhat better. The spirit of the peasant girl is summoned from her grave. She protects him from the Wili until daybreak, when they go back to their graves to rest until night falls again. Giselle forgives her lover and goes back to her grave where she may now rest peacefully for eternity.

First presented in Paris at Salle le Peletier in June 1841, it appeared in London at Her Majesty's Theatre in March 1842. It went on to be presented in Russia, Italy and the United States. It is now a film in 3D.

The leading role in this ballet is one of the most sought after by promising young dancers. It requires tremendous grace, a high level of technical skill and the ability to act convincingly. It was written by dramatist Theophile Gautier. It first starred Carlotta Grisi, for whom it was created by Gautier. Since then, the peasant girl has been portrayed by Alicia Markova, Svetlana Zakharova and Anna Pavlova.

The story f Giselle was inspired by Henrich Heine's tale of the Wilis. Gautier envisioned it as a ballet. He worked with choreographer, Jules Perot and composer, Adolphe Adam.




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