What is the story behind the ballet Giselle?
The story of Giselle is a romantic tale of innocent love and betrayal; of philandering Count Albrecht and a trusting peasant maid, Giselle. Although she has a weak heart, Giselle loves to dance. Her beauty has enchanted Albrecht.
Is Giselle a good ballet?
Considered a masterwork in the classical ballet performance canon, it was first performed by the Ballet du Théâtre de l’Académie Royale de Musique at the Salle Le Peletier in Paris, France, on 28 June 1841, with Italian ballerina Carlotta Grisi as Giselle. The ballet was an unqualified triumph.
How old is Giselle in the ballet?
15 year old
This verse is about a beautiful 15 year old Spanish girl who loves to dance. She becomes too warm at a ball, and dies of a chill in the cool morning. Heine’s prose passage in De l’Allemagne tells of supernatural young women called the Wilis.
Why do ballerinas covet the role of Giselle?
The role is a very coveted one among ballerinas because it is the epitome of ballet prowess in the sense that the role requires a ballerina who is exceptionally talented technically, but also has exceptional expressive dramatic skills.
Is Giselle hard to dance?
Giselle’s “mad scene” when she discovers Albrecht’s duplicity (and his fiancé) at the end of Act 1 is one of the most famous and challenging in all the repertoire for its demands on dance technique and emotional expression.
Is Giselle ballet suitable for children?
Giselle isn’t a “family ballet” – there are no fairies or princesses here. But if, like me, you have an older child (about age 7 and older) who’s into dance, it’s well worth taking him or her to this classic ballet, restaged by Pacific Northwest Ballet artistic director Peter Boal.
Why is Giselle hard dance?
This is a difficult role, awarded to ballerinas at the height of their powers. Not only must Giselle have considerable acting chops, she must have the controlled technique that allows her to float so freely and land so softly that we believe she is not of this world.
What is the mad scene in Giselle?
The “mad scene” that follows is an emotionally charged sequence that draws on a dancer’s deepest dramatic powers. After an initial flurry of tears, Giselle rises from her mother’s embrace, stunned to a zombie-like trance by the collapse of her illusions.
Who was the first ballerina to play the Giselle?
Carlotta Grisi
The first Giselle was Carlotta Grisi, an Italian ballerina who rose to stardom mid-19th Century as a result of her performance in the ballet. The first performance took place in Paris at Theatre de l’Academie Royale de Musique on June 28th, 1841.