GISELLE

Photo: Evan Li Photo: Maarten Holl

Production - Johan Kobborg and Ethan Stiefel Choreography - Johan Kobborg and Ethan Stiefel (after Marius Petipa) Set Design - Howard Jones Costume Design - Natalia Stewart Lighting Design - Kendall Smith Conductor - Michael Lloyd The Telstra Clear Season [2.5 hours] at St James Theatre, Wellington From 7 Nov 2012 to 11 Nov 2012 CBS Canterbury Arena, Christchurch From 15 Nov 2012 to 17 Nov 2012 Civic Theatre, Invercargill From 20 Nov 2012 to 21 Nov 2012 Regent Theatre, Dunedin From 24 Nov 2012 to 25 Nov 2012 Aotea Centre at THE EDGE®, Auckland From 29 Nov 2012 to 2 Dec 2012 Reviewed by:  Virginia Kennard; Jennifer Shennan (The Dominion Post); Toby Behan; Kasey Dewar; Hannah Molloy; Rosemary Martin;

A new staging of this quintessential ballet is co-produced by Ethan Stiefel and Johan Kobborg, internationally acclaimed principal dancer of the Royal Ballet. Gillian Murphy, RNZB Principal Guest Artist and star of American Ballet Theatre, dances Giselle, one of the most dramatic roles in the classical ballet repertoire.

Disguise and revelation, love and jealousy combine in this tragic tale. A love story unfolds against the ghostly backdrop of a Rhineland forest haunted by the fearful presence of the "Wilis" - vengeful spirits of abandoned brides. The beautiful peasant girl, Giselle, falls for Albrecht who conceals his identity to win her. The discovery of her lover's deception shatters Giselle's innocence and causes her to die of a broken heart. Albrecht is thrown into the hands of the merciless Wilis, but Giselle cannot bear to watch him die and returns as a ghost to save him.

Giselle is the most dramatic and beautiful of ballets and RNZB's brand new production is a must-see in 2012.
 

Cast lists for each centre are avaiable on the Royal NZ Ballet web site here