Giselle - Schedule, Program & Tickets

Giselle

musical direction
Jendrik Springer
composer
Adolphe Charles Adam
Choreography and staging
Elena Tschernischova after Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot and Marius Petipa
libretto
after Théophile Gautier
stage
Ingolf Bruun
Costumes
Clarisse Praun-Maylunas
Rehearsal
Brigitte Stadler

The poet Heinrich Heine narrates the legend of the mysterious Wilis, those young women who have to die before their wedding because their love has been betrayed. An untamed lust for dance beats on in their dead hearts. As ghosts, they leave their graves at night - and should a living person approach them during this time, they dance him to death.

In 1841 Adolphe Adam composed ballet music based on this material for the Paris Opera Ballet, which is one of the main works of the Romantic era - to be experienced with the Vienna State Ballet in a version created by Elena Tschernischova for Vienna in 1993, which is characterized by an original color concept: Vor In a backdrop in shades of gray, the actors stand out in signal colors. With over 80 performances, the work, whose world premiere with Brigitte Stadler and Vladimir Malakhov as well as an outstanding ensemble performance is one of the highlights of recent Viennese ballet history, is still a “calling card” for the company.

I. ACT
In the disguise of a farm boy, Duke Albrecht makes court to the farm girl Giselle. Both confess their love to each other. The gamekeeper Hilarion jealously watches the scene. Giselle invites passing winegrowers to dance together, Albrecht is also included in this dance. The mother tries to curb Giselle and warns of the fate of the Wilis, those girls who died before the wedding and are condemned to dance every night. Giselle rejects these dark premonitions.

The Duke of Courland stops at Giselle's house on a hunt with his daughter Bathilde, Albrecht's fiancé. The Duke is no stranger to this place: A love affair that Giselle was born of had once brought him here. The Duke, who shares the secret of Giselle's noble descent only with her mother, allows his legitimate daughter, who is enchanted by Giselle's charm, to give her her necklace as a present.

While the Duke and Bathilde stop for a rest in the house, the winemakers celebrate a rich harvest. Giselle is crowned queen of the grape harvest. Together with Albrecht, who was hidden from the hunting party, she joins the dance of a peasant couple. Hilarion, who had found Albrecht's sword, decides to publicly expose the rival. His plan works. Bathilde asks her fiancé in amazement what brings him here in this disguise; a sudden mood, replies Albrecht. Giselle has to realize that she was deceived, that Albrecht's love was only given and was a mere game. Giselle's mind begins to get confused, she becomes frantic and finally sinks to the ground, dead. Albrecht is deeply shaken.

II. ACT
Hilarion visits Giselle's grave in the forest. The hour of midnight has come. Suddenly wisps of light flash up. Horrified, Hilarion flees. Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis, appears. With the help of her magic branch she brings the Wilis out of their graves. After all, Giselle also follows this magical call. She is accepted into the community of Wilis. Albrecht has also come to Giselle's grave and wants to mourn it. Giselle appears to him again and again; however, he fails to hold onto it. Meanwhile, Hilarion is pursued by the Wilis. They force him to dance himself to death. Your next victim is supposed to be Albrecht. Giselle begs Myrtha for mercy. In vain: The Queen of the Wilis orders Giselle to dance to lure Albrecht away from the protective cross. The ruse succeeds. Albrecht is unable to withstand Giselle's dance and follows her. His strength is already beginning to weaken. Then the morning bells ring and the rising sun banishes the magical power of the Wilis. Giselle disappears, Albrecht sinks to the ground with a broken heart.

Subject to change.

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