Giselle

Giselle is the quintessential Romantic ballet — a work of heartbreaking beauty, supernatural mystery and redemptive love. A gentle peasant girl, Giselle falls for the disguised nobleman Albrecht, only to discover his betrayal and die of a broken heart. In the moonlit second act, she rises from the grave as a Wili — one of the vengeful spirits of jilted brides — yet chooses to save Albrecht rather than condemn him to dance to his death. First performed in Paris in 1841 with Carlotta Grisi in the title role, the ballet has remained a cornerstone of the repertoire for nearly two centuries, its dual role demanding extraordinary technical and dramatic gifts from its ballerinas.