Giselle

A. Adam

Giselle

Ballet in 2 acts
Libretto by Théophile Gautier, Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges, Jean Coralli based on the legend by Heinrich Heine
Choreography by Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot and Marius Petipa
At the Abay Opera House, the premiere took place on 27.07.1943
New production on 20.05.2023

Production Team:
Stage Conductor – Yerbolat Akhmedyarov, Honored Figure of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Choreographer – Yuri Vasyuchenko, Honored Artist of the RSFSR
Production Designer – Vyacheslav Okunev, People’s Artist of Russia, Laureate of the State Prizes of the Republics of Moldova, Belarus and Kazakhstan
Repetiteur – Galina Shlyapina, People’s Artist of the RSFSR

Characters

• Giselle, peasant girl
• Count Albrecht
• Hans, gamekeeper
• Berthe, mother of Giselle
• Bathilde, Albrecht’s fiancée
• Duke of Courland, father of Bathilde
• Wilfred, squire
• Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis
• Moyna and Zulme, two Wilis
• Bride and Groom, peasants
• Peasants, courtiers, hunters, servants, wilis

The action takes place in Thuringia during the medieval era.

“Dressed in their wedding gowns, with wreaths of flowers on their heads and glittering rings on their fingers, the Wilis dance in the moonlight like elves. Their faces, though white as snow, have the beauty of youth. They laugh with a joy so hideous, they call you so seductively, they have an air of such sweet promise, that these dead bacchantes are irresistible.”

Heinrich Heine, “De l’Allemagne”

Act I

A valley in the Rhineland during a village wine festival. Count Albrecht, far ahead of the hunting party, arrives to meet a peasant girl he has fallen in love with. Together with his squire Wilfred, he hides in a cottage and disguises himself as a peasant.

He comes to Giselle’s house, where she lives with her mother, Berthe, and declares his love. Their meeting is interrupted by Hans, a gamekeeper who is also in love with Giselle. Angered, Albrecht drives him away.

Giselle’s friends appear, and she leads them into dancing — her greatest passion. Berthe warns her daughter of her weak heart and the danger of becoming a Wili, but Giselle continues dancing, lost in joy.

The sound of hunting horns is heard. The Duke of Courland arrives with his daughter Bathilde, who is betrothed to Albrecht. Fearing discovery, Albrecht leaves.

Bathilde speaks kindly with Giselle and gives her a necklace. Meanwhile, Hans discovers Albrecht’s true identity by finding a sword bearing his noble crest.

The festivities continue. Albrecht returns and dances with Giselle, but Hans interrupts them and summons the hunting party. The deception is revealed. In despair, Giselle throws the necklace at Bathilde’s feet and collapses. Unable to withstand the shock, she dies.

Act II

A graveyard at night. Hans mourns Giselle but flees in fear as Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis, appears and summons the spirits of betrayed maidens. They gather to initiate Giselle into their ranks.

Giselle’s ghost rises from her grave, obedient to Myrtha’s command. Hearing a disturbance, the Wilis vanish.

Albrecht arrives, tormented by grief. Though urged to leave, he remains. He sees Giselle’s spirit and follows her.

The Wilis capture Hans and force him to dance until he collapses; they drown him. They then turn to Albrecht as their next victim.

Giselle protects him, leading him to her grave, where a cross stands. Myrtha’s power is broken there. Giselle dances with Albrecht through the night, sustaining him until dawn.

At sunrise, the Wilis lose their power and disappear. Giselle bids a final farewell to Albrecht and returns to her grave, leaving him alone in sorrow.