OVERVIEW
Stanton Welch's Giselle
Houston Ballet capped its 2015-16 season with a lavish new production of Giselle, staged by Stanton Welch AM, the company’s first new production of this great work in over three decades. In Giselle, the supreme example of 19th century balletic Romanticism, a beautiful peasant girl is deceived in love by an aristocrat disguised as a commoner. Love, betrayal, and redemption play out with stunning simplicity. Acclaimed Italian designer Roberta Guidi di Bagno returned to Houston to create the sets and costumes for Giselle.
LIKE HAMLET, GISELLE IS A CLASSIC…PEOPLE GO TO SEE GISELLE AND TO SEE BALLERINAS DANCE IT FOR THE SAME REASON WE GO TO SEE NEW INTERPRETATIONS OF HAMLET…WE ALWAYS DISCOVER SOMETHING IN IT WE HADN’T SEEN BEFORE.
SYNOPSIS
MAIN CHARACTERS
Giselle, Albrecht, Hilarion, Bathilde, Berthe, Wilfred, Myrtha
ACT I
Renaissance Germany. The Duke of Saxony's Hunting Preserve.
Ominous, ethereal, and dead, forest spirits haunt the woods. Overseen by their queen Myrtha, the Wilis – souls of jilted young girls who have died before their wedding day – watch and wait. There will soon be another initiate. They have time.
It is morning, and Giselle's mother, Berthe, the chatelaine in charge of the Duke's hunting lodge, oversees the annual grape harvest. The autumn festival has arrived. It will be a bountiful yield. The Duke's loyal gamesman Hilarion, in love with Giselle, leaves a bouquet of daisies at her door.
For some time, noble Albrecht has lived among the villagers, pretending to be one of them. His squire Wilfred does not approve of this deception, but dutifully conceals his master's rich cloak and sword. Now dressed as a commoner, Albrecht is drawn into this masquerade because of innocent peasant girl Giselle. Frail and pure of spirit, she is sweet and good, everything the entitled women of the court are not. Though betrothed to the Duke's daughter Bathilde, Albrecht sees no harm in dallying with someone else. He has previously spied young Giselle and has fallen hard.
Albrecht and Giselle playfully court. He knocks on her door then pretends to hide, surprising her. Using Hilarion's bouquet, she counts daisy petals, pulling them off one-by-one as she asks, He loves me, he loves me not. They are happy. Rashly, Albrecht swears undying love. Though realizing such ardent devotion is unlucky, Giselle is pleased with her new love.
Jealous of Albrecht, Hilarion bursts into their reverie. What are you doing? he implores Giselle, I love you and you love me. No, she answers. I'm sorry, but I love Albrecht. Hilarion pulls his knife, and Albrecht instinctively reaches for his missing sword. Hilarion realizes only a nobleman would wield a sword.
Villagers burst into the scene with the abundant harvest and bushels of flowers. It is a merry time with much rejoicing and dancing. Giselle bestows a white rose on Albrecht. Berthe admonishes her daughter about too much strenuous activity. Your heart is fragile, she warns her. Berthe is adamant, scaring the suspicious villagers with the legend of the eerie Wilis who entrap faithless lovers. The cursed men must dance until they die. If Giselle, deceived, dies before she is married, she will become one of these malignant spirits. Berthe forbids Giselle to dance and leads her inside.
The panoply of a royal hunt approaches, appointed with opulent trappings and blaring hunting horns. Hilarion spies Wilfred hiding Albrecht's sword in the work shed; his suspicions grow that this young swain with the impeccable manners is not who he says he is.
The Duke, with Bathilde and the court, stops to rest at the lodge. Excited at the royal entourage, the villagers entertain their distinguished guests. Giselle admires Bathilde's embroidered dress, smoothing her cheek with the fine fabric. Bathilde finds this peasant's sweet gesture touching. Do you have a true love, she asks Giselle. Oh, yes, she answers innocently. I do, too, Bathilde confesses, showing Giselle her engagement ring. With kindness Bathilde gives Giselle her necklace as a present. In appreciation, Giselle dances for them until stopped by her concerned mother.
While the women of the court relax in the lodge, the hunt continues. An impending village wedding is celebrated, and Giselle, catching the bridal bouquet, is crowned queen of the May. Hilarion can take no more of Albrecht's poaching of Giselle and confronts the couple. Bowing contemptuously, he presents the hidden sword to Albrecht and turns on Giselle. Look, a royal sword and it belongs to your lover, Albrecht. He's no commoner. He'll never marry you! With this unimpeachable evidence, he takes the hunting horn and calls the royal party back to the lodge. Albrecht can hide no longer.
Bathilde and the Duke are confused to see Albrecht dressed like a villager. Bowing to his betrothed, he kisses Bathilde's hand. Giselle is stunned. But you love me, she blurts out, barging between them. Tell me it's not so, she beseeches Albrecht, who is truly ashamed of his deception. Innocent Giselle is crushed by what he has done to her. Her happiness but a mirage, she becomes unhinged at his heartless betrayal. She attempts to stab herself with his sword. In a clarifying burst of sanity, she rushes to her mother then to Albrecht, who lifts her in the air. She falls – dead.
INTERMISSION
ACT II
Months later. A Forest Clearing. Midnight.
Berthe covers the untended grave of her daughter with boughs, but hurries off when she hears approaching huntsmen.
While his companions rest, Hilarion stumbles upon the grave of his former love. He is deeply heartbroken. He wants to stay and grieve, but invisible spirits bedevil him. Frightened, he and his men run into the forest.
Cold and imperious, the Queen of the Wilis materializes, bearing two sprigs of rosemary. She lays out the boundaries of the magic circle within which all male trespassers must dance themselves to death. She summons the spirits of the dead maidens, who arise to gather in a ghostly cotillion, led by Myrtha's two handmaidens, Zulma and Moyna. Myrtha calls forth Giselle. Freed from underground, she dances with abandon, but always at the call of her queen.
As Giselle dances, the vengeful Wilis begin to hunt and pursue a panicked Hilarion through the forest.
Rueful and inconsolable, Albrecht searches for Giselle's grave. When he finds it he lays a bouquet of lilies as tribute. He kisses the tombstone. Startled by a nearby movement, he spies nothing but senses some live presence. Giselle appears as if an apparition. He tries to catch her, but she vanishes from his embrace. He is ecstatic to be with her. She brings him white roses for forgiveness. As if in benediction, she drops the petals around her lover. When she flees out of his reach, he rushes after her.
Hilarion is chased into the enchanted circle by the Wilis who seek revenge for the wrong done them. He pleads for his life, but they will not be swayed. Dance, they command, Dance until you die! The unfortunate man must obey. Amid their frenzied maelstrom, he begs for mercy as his strength ebbs. No, they intone, implacable and hard as marble, Die! Utterly exhausted, Hilarion is lethally flung from the cliffs above the river by Zulma and Moyna.
Albrecht is swept into the forest circle by the Wilis. He bows before the steely will of Myrtha, ruthless in her desire for punishment. Giselle pleads for his life. Myrtha's deadly curse is momentarily blocked as Giselle and Albrecht rekindle their earthly love. But the infernal power of the Wilis is strong. Albrecht is compelled to dance until death.
Both lovers plead, both are rebuffed. In this midnight forest of betrayed love there is no forgiveness. Myrtha and the Wilis are unyielding, but Giselle's purity and depth of love give Albrecht temporary reprieve. As she dances she softens the evil curse. As Albrecht nears total collapse, the village church bells toll dawn. The spell breaks. Vanquished under the couple's true love, the Wilis melt like mist, never to return. Albrecht is saved.
He and Giselle embrace one final time until she, too, must return to her grave. Has this been a terrible nightmare? When he holds the flower petals Giselle had strewn over him, he realizes this was no dream. Roses bloom throughout the clearing. Pure and forgiving, Giselle was his one true love, and she is now lost to him forever.
ARTISTS
Stanton Welch AM
CHOREOGRAPHER, GISELLE
In July 2003, the acclaimed Australian choreographer Stanton Welch assumed the leadership of Houston Ballet, America's fourth largest ballet company, as artistic director. Since his arrival, Mr. Welch has transformed Houston Ballet by raising the level of classical technique, infusing the company with new energy, drive and vision; introducing works by distinguished choreographers to the repertoire; and attracting some of the world's best coaches to Houston to work with the dancers. He has created works for such prestigious international companies as Houston Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, The Australian Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, and Royal Danish Ballet.
Adophe Adam
COMPOSER, GISELLE
Adolphe Adam was born in Paris, to Jean-Louis Adam (1758–1848), who was a prominent Alsatian composer, as well a professor at the Paris Conservatoire. His mother was the daughter of a physician. As a child, Adolphe Adam preferred to improvise music on his own rather than study music seriously and occasionally truanted with writer Eugène Sue who was also something of a dunce in early years. By age 20, he was writing songs for Paris vaudeville houses and playing in the orchestra at the Gymnasie Dramatique, where he later became chorus master. Adam is probably best remembered for the ballet Giselle (1841). He wrote several other ballets and 39 operas, including Le postillon de Lonjumeau (1836) and Si j'étais roi (1852). His Christmas carol "Cantique de Noël", translated to English as "O Holy Night", is an international favorite, and is said to have been the second piece of music to be broadcast on radio. Adam is buried in Montmartre Cemetery in Paris.
HISTORY
GISELLE REPERTOIRE HISTORY
This was Houston Ballet's first time performing Stanton Welch's production of Giselle. Houston Ballet’s first performance of Giselle was December 15, 1967 at the Jesse H. Jones Hall for Performing Arts as “Houston Ballet Foundation” with the main cast including guest dancers Erik Bruhn (Albrect), Carla Fracci (Giselle), and Cynthia Gregory (Myrtha) under Artistic Directors Igor Youskevitch and Nina Popova. Houston Ballet has since performed different productions of Giselle with different staging and designs as part of its main season nine times.
GISELLE PRODUCTION DETAILS
ORIGINAL CHOREOGRAPHER: Marius Petipa, with libretto by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot
COMPOSER: Adolphe Adam
SCORE: "Giselle"
GENRE: Classical Ballet
RUN TIME: Ballet in 2 Acts; Approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes
ORIGINAL PREMIERE DATE: June 28, 1841 at Théâtre de l’Academie Royale de Musique in Paris, France by Paris Opéra Ballet
HOUSTON BALLET PREMIERE DATE: December 15, 1967 at Jesse H. Jones Hall for Performing Arts as Houston Ballet Foundation
WORLD PREMIERE OF STANTON WELCH PRODUCTION: June 9, 2016 in the Brown Theater at Wortham Theater Center in Houston, Texas
STANTON WELCH PRODUCTION COSTUME DESIGN: Roberta Guidi di Bagno
STANTON WELCH PRODUCTION SET DESIGN: Roberta Guidi di Bagno
STANTON WELCH PRODUCTION LIGHTING DESIGN: Lisa J. Pinkham
HOUSTON BALLET ORCHESTRA CONDUCTOR (2016): Ermanno Florio
HOUSTON BALLET STAGE MANAGER (2016): Michelle de los Reyes
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