« In their extinguished hearts, in their dead feet, has remained that love of the dance which they have not been able to satisfy during their lives, and at midnight they rise up, gathering on the main road, and woe betide the young man who meets them! » THÉOPHILE GAUTIER, ARGUMENT OF GISELLE OU LES WILLIS, 1841

ENCHANTING
MAGICAL
INGENUOUS

Original choreography by Carla Fracci

The young peasant girl Giselle falls in love with a man who conceals his true identity from her and dances to express her love for him. But the gamekeeper Hilarion, who loves Giselle, is dead set on unmasking his love rival. He reveals to the young woman that the man she loves is in fact Albrecht, Duke of Silesia, who is already engaged to someone else… Giselle loses her mind and dies of heartbreak. She is now condemned to live in the realm of the Willis, a sisterhood of unmarried girls who died after being betrayed by their lovers…

DANCING TO THE DEATH…

When Théophile Gautier read Heinrich Heine’s writings, he imagined a ballet that would recount the terrible fate of a Willi, a young girl condemned to dance in death and haunt the streets at night. As this profoundly romantic idea took hold, Adolphe Adam, already known for ballets such as La Jeune fille du Danube, seemed the obvious choice to compose this new work. The composition of the spellbinding Giselle was entrusted to him. The ballet was a phenomenal success from the outset, elevated by the artistry of the famous Carlotta Grisi in the title role.

Tchaikovsky and Saint-Saëns, who had a reputation for being severely critical, praised the work as the masterpiece of modern ballet, citing Adam’s qualities as a composer of symphonies and the fairytale magic of the ballet. The lyricism of the score was such that Giselle quickly became the archetype of the Romantic ballet. The poor Willi’s fate made the whole world weep… And in time, Adam became one of the most famous ballet composers, initiating a dance revival.

A captivating performance, choreographed by the late, great Carla Fracci!

• FOR THE FIRST TIME AT THE ORW !