The Philadelphia Ballet returned to the stage at the Academy of Music on February 29th to present the opening night of the beloved ballet Giselle. The story tells the magical tale of a peasant girl with a weak heart who falls in love with a Count in disguise. There is heartbreak, broken promises, vengeful spirits and even men being danced to death. Choreographer Angel Corella brings the story to life this spring ballet season. Based on Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot’s original choreography, the ballet is on view at the Philadelphia ballet until March 10th.
As the lights are turned off and the grand curtains lift, the stage is lit up to reveal a cheerful scene of a small village during the grape harvest. The young Count Albrecht, disguised as a villager, and Giselle begin to perform their very first duet. The variation is coy and flirtatious, as Giselle blushes and pulls away innocently at the touch of their hands. The Count gifts Giselle a flower before the two are suddenly ambushed by Hilario the Gamekeeper. Hilario, who is also in love with Giselle, doubts her new lover’s intentions with the young girl. But, of course, no duel can keep the festivities of the grape harvest at bay as the villagers gather around for a cheerful country variation to celebrate.
Suddenly, a group of richly dressed nobles enters the village, headed by Bathilde, to whom the Count is secretly engaged. Fearing his ruse being uncovered, Albrecht flees as the villagers and the nobles are distracted by one another. The nobles are dressed in rich and heavy jewel-toned fabrics, starkly contrasting the lighter colour palettes donned by the villagers. Giselle even tries to feel the fabric of Bathilde’s cloak! To welcome their visitors, the villagers entertain them with a multitude of dances, most notably a solo variation from Giselle which impresses Bathilde so much that she gifts her necklace to the young peasant girl.
As the villagers continue their harvest celebrations, Giselle is crowned queen of the harvest and carried by the villagers joyfully. However, in a single moment, the cheer abruptly stops as the Count’s deception is uncovered by Hilarion. He holds up Albrecht’s sword, a symbol of his nobility, and calls the hunting party to return with a horn. As the distraught Giselle sees her lover greet his betrothed, she rushes to break them apart. Besides herself with heartbreak, Giselle’s dancing becomes more and more frenzied as she picks up her lover’s sword, scaring all the villagers. The most powerful scene, however, is when Giselle’s breakdown reaches its peak and her feet suddenly begin to move on their own. As she transitions from her pique turns and innocent balloné at the start of Act I into frenzied and hysterical petit battements, she loses her hope in love. Finally, her heart gives out as she collapses dead in Albrecht’s arms. The two men lunge at each other in anger as Giselle’s mother embraces her daughter’s lifeless body.
The curtain lifts for Act II to reveal a foggy woodland lit up only by the moon. Giselle’s grave rests to the side of the stage as Hilarion enters to visit his dead love. But he is soon terrified by the Wilis, the ghosts of the women who have been abandoned by their lovers. The Wilis are led by their queen, Myrtha, who leads their dance. The Wilis, dressed in all white like the brides they could have been, float across the stage as they toss their veils to the side in anger. The Ballet blanc is the most dramatic convention of the performance as the Wilis create an eerily beautiful image through their unified arabesques. Myrtha summons Giselle’s ghost and indoctrinates her into the Wilis. In a gasp-inducing moment, Giselle’s veil is snatched away from her to reveal her now ghastly complexion. Giselle performs a haunting solo before disappearing into the forest with the other Wilis.
Albrecht, heartbroken and distraught, comes to lay flowers at Giselle’s grave, unbeknownst to the fact that this will summon her spirit. The two perform a heartbreaking pas de deux as she forgives his lies. For much of the duet, the Count remains on his knees with his head down and when they touch, Giselle pulls away quickly. Slipping back into her grave, Giselle leaves the faithless Albrecht. Returning again to the haunting of the Wilis who have now found Hilarion, Myrtha orders that he be killed in vengeance. The Wilis surround the young man, forcing him to dance as he begs on his knees for mercy. However, each time he tries to escape he is stopped by the vengeful Wilis. In their final act of revenge, they surround him by running around him in a circle until his death. As soon as the Wilis spot Albrecht, he is ordered to the same fate, but Giselle soon steps in and pleads Myrtha for mercy. As Giselle performs her final solo variation, she is joined by Albrecht for their last-ever duet. Both in despair and both desperate to escape the fate of the Wilis, their love proves more powerful than any power. Culminating in an incredible angel lift, the audience was captivated by their pas de deux. Albrecht is spared and as the sun begins to rise, the Wilis fade away, leaving only the two lovers on stage. In a tender farewell, Giselle sinks back into her grave as Albrecht is left alone with his future uncertain.
Photogrpahy by Alexander Iziliaev
