Dance Criticism Lecture

6th February 2013

Giselle (Ou les Wilie)

Choreog: Jean Coralli and Jales Perrot
Music: Adolphe Adam
Designs: Cicer (sets) Paul Larmier (costumes)
Libretto: Vernoy de saint George and Thesphile Gautier
Premiere: 28th June 1841, Paris Opera Ballet
Giselle: Carlotta Grisi
Albrecht: Lucian Petipa

Act One
Giselle's Mother meets with Hilarian, he helps with washing, blows a kiss to Giselle's
window. Hilarian is a nice character, the one she should marry, of her class etc. She
likes him, but she does not love him. Albrecht forgets to take off his sword (aristocrat)
sendsaway his squire, and knocks on Giselle's door. She performs a solo, with mime"i
heard knocking", dancing to a light motif (a melody that represents a person, an
object or an emotion) young happy carefree. When she meets with Albrecht, we hear
aother light motif that's repetetive and a call and response, love light motif. Giselle is
shy, Albrecht gentle and ever expressing his love and how beautiful she is. Daisy
dance - he loves me, he loves me not. Ends on he loves me not, he pulls one off and
they rejoice. Hilarian appears in the background, sees the girl he loves with a
stranger. Hilarian has his own light motif. In a scuffle, Albrecht reaches for a sword
which makes Hilarian suspicious.
All through Act One, it's allto upbeat music and happy variations and dances. Ends
with a Ballabale. Giselle's mother comes back, Giselle is not supposed to dance
because of her weak heart. Introduces her mother to Albrecht, she imediately pulls
away, and warms her to be careful and remember the Wilies (supernatural). Pas de
Suex, and peasant pas de deux, divertisement.
Hunting Party coming, Albrecht makes himself scarce and hides from the aristocrats
and his fiance. Giselle gives some flowers to Batile (fiance), she dismisses it and
hands flowers to someone behind. Giselle wants to touch the velvet gown, and Batille
catches her. Giselle's first variation, with the diagonal. Choreographed by Petipa.
Hilarian has been into Albrecht's cottage and has found the sword. Figures that
Albrecht has to be related to the Duke. Peasants enter. Hilarian shoves Albrecht away
from Giselle and confronts him, mock bow to him then shows them the sword.
Hilarian blows the hunting horn, gets a reply.
The Mad scene, often seen in Romantic ballets - most famous ballet mad scene.
Heroine goes mad (Giselles). He has broken her weak heart, she rememberes their
relationship, dissapears into her own world remembering the dream of love that she

used to have, totally detatched from reality. Mimes the earlier scenes they wetn
through, daisy etc remembers the "he loves me not" moment. Tries to stab herself
with his sword, Hilarian grabs it from her at the last moment, she laughs and scitters
across the stage. Albrecht catches her as she falls to the floor. Points at things
unseens and skits across the stage leacing the rest in wonder. slows down, to the
speed up again and run intopeople at all edges. Eventually runs into her mothers
arms, then into Albrecht's and then falls to the ground, dead.
Act Two
See her grave, Hilarian crying at her grave, becomes aware that the Wilies will be out
soon so flees. Mertha is the lead Wilie, and draws all the other from their graves.
Carries branches of rosemary for rememberance. Performs a variation of a very
technical standard, Petipa. Wilies appear from grave, wearing bridal veils that they
never wore in life. Different styles in this ballet - In paris was the last performance
1868, Giselle dropped out of the repetoire. Went to London in 1842 and staged it
there the year after it was first seen, Vienna and St Petersburg also. Perrot became
ballet master of Mariinsky ballet in St. Petersburg. Petipa admired Perrot greatly.
Petipa arrived at the Mariinsky in 47, stayed there for a very long time which is why
he had such a great influence over the style of this company. Mertha whips the veil
off Giselle's head, she performsa solo. In Perrot's choreography pointework is only to
decorate and punctuate the movements, Petipa was much more bravado and more
pointework.
The Ending
Love music from act 1, reprised. Used for Giselle to dance for Albrecht to keep him
alive. Albrecht then dances, begs mercy from Mertha she denies you must dance
until you die. Giselle comes to help him again,partner work across the floor,
diagonally. Dance together in centre of group. Albrecht solos, huge jumps and falls to
the floor in exhaustion, bells chime four times - dawn. The power of the Willies is
over, Giselle saved his life. She returns to the grave, he finds the flower and ballet
ends.

This ballet has stayed in the repetoire, because it's message is that love is stronger
than death. Love shall survive death. Albrecht breaks Giselle's heart, she dies
because of him but in Act two she protects him from the Wilies. He dances almost to
death, but she saves his life, four church chimes - dawn, he is saved. Giselle goes
back into her grave, and Albrecht is left thinking about this girl who he loved and has
lost. A sad but wiser man. This message still speaks to people today hence why the
piece has survive, however technically it was Petipa who allowed it to stay as he
enhanced the technical aspects so it can still be enjoyed today by our audiences.
Perrot's Ballet blanc was choreographed with a composer, therefore there was a close
connection between the two. Flat footed movements throughout, pointework only to
decorate and never on the corps de ballet. He understood Romantic ballet like no
other, what was important and vital to the works.