Adolphe Adam
Балет
Libretto by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges, Théophile Gautier, Jean Coralli. Choreography by Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot, Marius Petipa.
Ballet in 2 acts
World premiere: 28 June 1841, Theatre de I’Academie Royal de Musique, Paris (Grand Opéra)
Premiere of Marius Petipa’s version: 5 February 1884, Bolshoi (Kamenny) Theatre, St. Petersburg
Premiere at the Astana Opera House: 14, 15 June 2019
ACT 1
A small, peaceful village, bathed in sunlight. Giselle, a young peasant girl, and her old mother live in a small house. Giselle is in love and enjoys her life.
The young Count Albrecht appears and quickly hides in a nearby hut. He takes on a peasant dress and leaves the house accompanied by Wilfried, a squire. Albrecht loves Giselle and does not listen to his squire who warns him that his deception may be discovered soon. Albrecht angrily orders Wilfried to leave and knocks on the door of Giselle’s house.
Happy to meet again, Albrecht and Giselle dance. The gamekeeper Hans appears and interrupts their dance. He has long been in love with Giselle and is jealous of a stranger who has aristocratic manners. A quarrel is about to happen. Having forgotten that he is a peasant now, the Count gives a familiar gesture, with which he pulls his sword when he is angry. Hans becomes suspicious of his rival’s behaviour, and the enraged Albrecht drives him away.
Giselle’s friends appear. They and Giselle start dancing merrily. Giselle’s mother, who is very protective of her daughter’s health, stops their dance: Giselle has a weak heart.
A hunting horn is heard in the distance. Albrecht is afraid to be recognized and runs away. The gamekeeper appears; the stranger’s secret torments him. Hans hears the hunting party approaching and climbs through the window into the hut where Albrecht had hidden himself before.
A party of distinguished noblemen, attended by a sumptuous suite and headed by the Duke, Albrecht’s father, and Bathilde, the Count’s betrothed, appear. Giselle and her mother give their guests a cordial welcome. Having noticed that Giselle is delighted at her gown, Bathilde asks Giselle about her work. Giselle says that in addition to her day-to-day housework, she loves dancing. Bathilde asks whether Giselle has a fiancé and receives an affirmative reply. Giselle’s shyness and timidity evoke sympathy in the Duke and Bathilde, and the latter gives the girl a precious necklace as a gift for her wedding day. The Duke and Bathilde depart to have some rest in Giselle’s house. The Duke leaves his hunting horn to call the hunting party back if necessary. All disperse. The concerned Hans appears. Now he knows the secret of the stranger: he holds Albrecht’s coat of arms sward, confirming the noble origin of the opponent! It is he, who deceives the poor girl! Hans promises to take revenge.
The villagers gather to start the harvest festivities. Giselle and Albrecht join the overall fun.
Outraged by Albrecht’s deceit and Giselle’s trusting love for him, Hans interrupts the fun and unmasks the Count, showing everyone the coat of arms on his sword. Giselle does not believe Hans, and he blows the horn left by Albrecht’s father.
The worried Duke and Bathilde, accompanied by courtiers, appear. Everyone recognizes the young Count Albrecht in disguise. Giselle can no longer doubt Albrecht’s deception, she understands that Bathilde is Albrecht’s fiancée.
In despair, Giselle tears off a necklace and throws it at the feet of Bathilde. Her mind flies into a mad fit of grief. Mother rushes to her daughter, but Giselle does not recognize her. In Giselle’s mad mind, scenes of fortune-telling, oaths, and a gentle dance with Albrecht flash… Exhausted, she falls unconscious and dies.
ACT 2
Night. Cemetery. Hans comes to Giselle’s grave. He mourns the loss of Giselle, feeling his guilt.
The bell rings midnight – the hour when the Wilis appear. They are the ghostly spirits of maidens who died on the eve of their wedding because their lovers betrayed them. They now have to wander forever in the forest, luring travelers at night and forcing them to dance until they die of exhaustion. Myrtha, the Queen of the Wilis, appear in the moonlight. She calls her friends together. Myrtha gives a sign, and Giselle’s spirit rises from her grave. One more imperative gesture, and Giselle begins to twirl about to a very fast dance.
Tormented with remorse and accompanied by the squire, Albrecht comes to Giselle’s grave. The squire warns the Count about the danger of meeting the Wilis, but Albrecht is not afraid of his threats and remains alone, evoking the image of Giselle, never to be forgotten.
Albrecht sees the Wilis pursuing Hans and hides. The Wilis make Hans dance until he falls to the ground dead. The same fate awaits Albrecht, he pleads to Myrtha for his life. Giselle comes to the aid of her beloved. The enraged Myrtha orders Giselle to dance.
The Wilis are merciless: Albrecht rushes around, falls, rises and dances again. He is doomed. But the loving Giselle is near, she helps Albrecht to live until dawn. Suddenly, the bells are heard – the morning comes. With the first rays of the rising sun, the Wilis lose their power and disappear.
Giselle’s faint shadow also disappears, but she herself will always live in Albrecht’s memory as an eternal regret for the love he lost – love that is stronger than death.