21-22 January «Giselle» ballet at the Bolshoi

Giselle Ballet

Giselle is a romantic ballet inspired by a story of evil spirits (Elementargeister by Heinrich Heine) and a poem about a beautiful girl. (Les Orientales by Victor Hugo).

The story is of malevolent spirits, the aristocracy and peasants, disguise, intrigue, spurned devotees and tragedy, as a heart breaking truth outs. Giselle is the sweet, innocent and beautiful young peasant girl with a great love for dancing, forbidden to dance by her mother in fear of her health, as she has a weak heart. She dies broken hearted, after discovering her love is promised to another. The Wilis, a group of malicious supernatural women who dance men to death, summon Giselle from her grave. They try to kill her duplicitous lover for causing Giselle’s broken heart, but Giselle’s love frees him from their grasp.

First performed by Carlotta Grisi in Paris 1841, Giselle caused a sensation amongst both critics and the public and inspired its reviewers to proclaim it as the greatest ballet of its time. Becoming hugely popular and staged worldwide its success positioned Carlotta Grisi as the prima-donna of the era.

The traditional choreography has been passed down primarily from the Imperial Ballet in St. Petersburg.  The Moscow Bolshoi Theatre production is choreographed by world acclaimed Russian dance compositor and Ballet Master, Yuri Grigorovich, and performed on the Historic Stage.

Giselle is one of the greatest romantic classics in the world. With a beautiful score, enchanting sets and beautiful costumes, the Bolshoi Ballet explores the universal truth of love and its power over evil.

Whilst Giselle is ‘sold-out’ we have a limited number of seats for a select few adherents.