Giselle February 9-17, 2018

February 9-17, 2018 | Davidson Theatre

World Premiere
Friday, 2/9 Senior Dress Rehearsal
Friday, 2/9 8:00 pm
Saturday, 2/10 8:00 pm
Sunday, 2/11 2:00 pm
Thursday, 2/15 7:30 pm
Friday, 2/16 8:00 pm
Saturday, 2/17 8:00 pm

Choreography: Edwaard Liang

Music: Adolphe Adam

Witness a love story that has captivated hearts for centuries with the World Premiere of Edwaard Liang’s Giselle. This timeless ballet, set to Adolphe Adam’s score, will feature classical elements as it weaves the haunting tale of a peasant girl’s quest for love. Liang’s Giselle will reimagine and reinvigorate this beloved work, leaving audiences inspired and awed.

Michael gives us the run down on Giselle

Costume Creation: Giselle

Dancers Explain Giselle

The Wilis

In Giselle, the Wilis are beautiful but vengeful sylph-like spirits who roam the Earth, forcing all who encounter them to dance to their deaths. Their origins predate Giselle and have morphed throughout Eastern European folklore.

  • Giselle Wili Dancer Jessica Brown
  • Giselle Wili Dancer Lissett Santander
  • Giselle Wili Dancer Karen Wing
  • Giselle Wili Dancer Kristie Latham
  • Giselle Wili Dancer Lisset Santander
  • Giselle Wili Dancer Jessica Brown

Run Time

Act I / 48 Mins
Intermission / 20 Mins
Act II / 43 Mins

Total Time: 1 Hr 51 Mins

Casting

*Guest Artist of BalletMet

Giselle

Caitlin Valentine-Ellis [2/9, 17]
Grace-Anne Powers [2/10, 16]
Carly Wheaton [2/11, 15]

Albrecht

Miguel Anaya [2/9, 17]
William Newton [2/10, 16]
Romel Frometa [2/11, 15]

Hilarion

Gabriel Gaffney Smith [2/9, 17]
Jarrett Reimers [2/10, 16]
Michael Sayre [2/10, 15]

Wilfred

Martin Roosaare [2/9, 17]
Leiland Charles [2/10, 16]
Jim Nowakowski [2/11, 15]

Berthe

Peasant Pas de Quatre

Prince

His Daughter, Bathilde

Myrtha

Madeline Skelly [2/9, 17]
Lisset Santander [2/10,16]
Jessica Brown [2/11,15]

Moyna and Zulma

Wilis

Female Artists of BalletMet and Trainees of BalletMet Dance Academy

Meet the Characters:

Giselle

Her gentle nature, beauty and kindness capture the hearts of all who meet her. Upon discovering her lover, Loys, has deceived her, Giselle dances until her weak heart ultimately stops beating, dying from shock. In death, Giselle must choose to wander the earth each night with the vengeful Wilis or instead find peace in the power of forgiveness.

Albrecht

Although engaged to a noblewoman, Albrecht disguises himself as a peasant named Loys to win the heart of the beautiful Giselle. While visiting Giselle’s grave late one night, Albrecht encounters the Wilis and Giselle’s spirit, where a struggle between revenge and forgiveness ensues.

Hilarion

A gamekeeper from the village, Hilarion is consumed by his love for Giselle. Feeling betrayed when he learns that Giselle is in love with the suspicious Loys, Hilarion becomes determined to uncover the true identity of Giselle’s new lover.

Myrtha and the Wilis

The Queen of the Wilis, Myrtha is as regal as she is vengeful. Myrtha recruits Giselle’s spirit to join the Wilis, a group of spirits betrayed by their lovers who roam the Earth from dusk to dawn, forcing all who encounter them to dance to their deaths.

Photos by Jennifer Zmuda

Dancers: Jessica Brown, Karen Wing, Lisset Santander, Kristie Latham

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