Giselle: Finding redemption in Giselle
The wilis – the spirits of jilted women – are always a sight to behold in Giselle, performed by Ballet Manila as part of Dance MNL in 2016. Photo by Erica Jacinto
One of the most successful Romantic ballets ever to grace the stage, Giselle tells the story of love, loss, forgiveness and redemption that has resonated among balletomanes for over one hundred years. A deeper look into the choreography’s history reveals, however, that the tale of redemption runs deeper than its literary roots. The ballet played an important role in revitalizing the Paris Opéra at a time when it was, as the Petipa Society described it, “in a state of decline when compared to its brilliance from years before.”
As Albrecht and Giselle, Osias Barroso Jr. and Lisa Macuja Elizalde bring the power and passion of Giselle to the stage in 2002. Photo by Ocs Alvarez
Having lost a number of its principal dancers to other companies in Europe, the Paris Opéra was in search of a ballet to launch its rising star, Carlotta Grisi. While several options were considered, Grisi leaned towards a new piece that librettist Théophile Gautier and Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges were working on. Inspired by Heinrich Heine’s L’Allemagne, they were taken by a passage referring to supernatural maidens called “Wilis” from Slavic mythology – brides-to-be who died before the wedding and would force young men to dance with them until they die as well.
It was Gautier who was inspired by L’Allemagne but it was Saint-Georges who turned the vision into a workable ballet by drawing from Victor Hugo’s Fantômes from Les Orientales. Here, a 15-year-old Spanish girl dies after spending a night in frenzied dancing at a ball. It formed the core of Act 1 while the scene with the Wilis became Act 2.
Principal dancers Abigail Oliviero and Mark Sumaylo are featured in the poster for Giselle in 2019. After fire damaged Aliw Theater, the pair got to perform the ballet at the CCP Little Theater.
Choreographer Jules Perrot (Grissi’s lover) agreed that the piece was a better showcase for the ballerina’s talent, and passed it on to Adolphe Adam for the music. Adam’s friendship with both Perrot and Grissi clearly influenced his composition, creating one of the most inspired piece of music to accompany a ballet.
Perrot then teamed up with Jean Coralli for the choreography with the former focusing on the principals and soloists and the latter working on the corps de ballet.
Giselle premiered on June 28, 1841 at the Salle Le Peletieur with Carlotta Grisi taking on the title role, Lucien Petipa as Duke Albert of Silesia (later on renamed Albrecht), Jean Coralli as Hilarion and Adèle Dumilâtre as Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis. It was a massive success and nine months later, they were premiering the ballet in London which included Queen Victoria in the audience.
Since then, every ballet company of note has included Giselle in their classical repertoire. It has been performed at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London, Bolshoi Theatre in St. Petersburg, Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Howard Athenæum in Boston and Park Theatre in New York City, among many others.
Among its most recent versions is a contemporary interpretation by Akram Khan for the English National Ballet. Reimagined in today’s context, Giselle is a migrant factory worker while Albrecht is a landowner. Hailed as one of the great masterpieces of the 20th century, it has astounded audiences all over the world and continues to sell out whenever performed.
In 2010, Lisa Macuja Elizalde as Giselle is partnered by Rudy De Dios as Albrecht. Photo by Ocs Alvarez
Ballet Manila considers Giselle as one of its most important pieces in its classical repertoire. The company has been performing excerpts of it since its inception in 1995 and staged the full length for the first time in 1999 as part of its regular season. Since then, it has been part of BM’s regular season in 2002, 2005, 2010, 2012 and in 2019. The 2019 performance almost did not push through because of the fire that destroyed the Star City complex where the company’s home theater, Aliw, was located. A grant from the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), however, allowed the performance to push through at the CCP Main Theater on October 17. It was restaged with two more shows a month later at the CCP Little Theater.
Today, five years later, Ballet Manila is all set to bring back Giselle in its old home, Aliw Theater, which has since been renovated.
Indeed, the ballet about love and forgiveness continues to spread its message of redemption, saving not just Albrecht but the many ballet companies that have performed it successfully including Ballet Manila.
For Dance MNL in 2016, Joan Emery Sia and Romeo Peralta Jr. took on the lead roles in Giselle as a tribute to dance teacher Felicitas Radaic. Photo by Erica Jacinto
