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English National Ballet - Giselle (Khan) - Autumn 2016

Jan McNulty
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Jan McNulty

Jan McNulty

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Previews of English National Ballet's new production of Giselle by Akram Khan start at the Palace Theatre in Manchester tonight, prior to the "official" world premiere on Tuesday.

 

I'm looking forward to tonight and a couple more performances next week and I can't wait to hear what other members think of the production.

 

Please use this thread for your thoughts.

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Jan McNulty

Jan McNulty

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So where to start....

 

Just a couple of practicalities - the performance lasts around 2 hours and if you are planning to drive to the Palace Theatre be warned that there are major roadworks (and hence traffic chaos) nearby.  Having been warned in advance I went on the train, which makes for a longer but less frustrating journey!

 

 

The synopsis was on the back of the cast sheet and reading it, the story is more or less the traditional Giselle tale but moved to a migrant workers camp after the local factory has shut down.

 

The curtains open to reveal an enormous wall at the back of the stage with all the migrants standing in front of it as though willing it away.  We soon realise who Hilarion, Giselle and Albrecht are.  The migrants dance of their despair.  The choreography is fluid and, in parts, very striking.  Some use of silhouette gives some very memorable imagery.  There is an incredibly beautiful and very slow moving duet for Giselle and Albrecht that shines with their love for each other.  Hilarion comes over as a bit of a wheeler dealer who wants to be Giselle's lover.

 

The Landlords arrive and want to see the migrants dance.  I have to say that the ladies costumes are incredible!  Bathilde recognises Albrecht and there is a bit of a scene resulting in Giselle's madness and death.  Actually the way she dies is almost private, surrounded by her fellow migrants.  I found it very effective and very moving.

 

In Act 2, Albrecht confronts the Landlords at the abandoned factory.  He is driven away by Myrthe.   Hilarion arrives and is killed by the Wilis.  Giselle is summoned by Myrthe.  Albrecht arrives and Giselle's love saves him.

 

My overall impressions from last night were the beautiful fluid choreography, the striking (but dark) lighting, the power of the performances from the whole company.

 

If you like Akram Khan's work and you liked the company in Dust you will probably love this!  

 

I loved the score - a blending of live and recorded I think.  It sounds almost Eastern-European, Middle-Eastern but there are sections of the traditional score that are blended in, slightly skewed, too.  If a recording is published I will be buying it.  Apart from The Landlords the cast wear simple dresses and shirts and trousers in drab colours that absolutely fit the location and the action.

 

Tamara Rojo and James Streeter were incandescent as Giselle and Albrecht.  They melded as one during their duets and I found them incredibly moving.  Stina Quagebeur was very frightening and Myrthe, she was just brilliant.  I was very taken with guest Oscar Chacon as Hiliarion.  The whole company were totally committed to the production and danced their hearts out.

 

My bald words can't really describe my feelings about last night properly.  I felt as though I was experiencing a very special, magical event and I felt privileged to be there.  I came out shell-shocked and totally blown away!  I can't wait to see it again on Tuesday and Thursday afternoon.

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LinMM

LinMM

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Looks like my mad dash to Southampton with weird bus and train mix.....at least no strike....will be well worth it after all but I did have a feeling about this.

I saw Stina Quagebeur in rehearsal and thought she was scary then in a normal studio with full lighting!!

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Living the Dream

Living the Dream

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I went to see the preview on Saturday evening. In this cast Alina Cojocaru was Giselle, Isaac Hernandez was Albrecht and Cesar Corrales was Hilarion. I cannot add anymore to Janet's review, apart from to echo her words.

 

I have to say, that I was not sure what I would make of this production, but it was outstanding. Alina's portrayal of Giselle was incredible, I felt every emotion she did. The whole theatre was standing is adulation at the end and it was well deserved. Don't miss this production. LTD 

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SPD444

SPD444

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Well LTD you have cheered me up. Because the ENB are late in announcing casts I have successfully guessed when Alina would be dancing and picked the right date; wait for it; but not this time. I guessed the 19th November at SW but alas she is dancing on the 18th. Still it is Tamara which is not a bad deal at all; but I love Alina's Giselle. :(

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Jan McNulty

Jan McNulty

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There was an enormous buzz of excitement in the theatre last night before the official world premiere of Giselle.  And boy was that buzz justified!

 

I was interested to see how my second viewing of this new production consolidated (or otherwise) my opinion from Friday night.  This is a visually stunning piece, of that there can be no doubt.  There is an enormous complexity running through the themes within the production, while still retaining the traditional framework of the story.  The ENB dancers show 110% commitment to the performance.

 

Last night's performance was led by Alina Cojocaru.  I have only ever seen her dance in the classical idiom before so was not sure how she would come across in this ... what can I say ... she was completely, utterly and totally fabulous.  She brought out so many nuances in her characterisation and she brought the choreography totally alive.  Her Albrecht was Isaac Hernandez and I thought he was terrific but was probably, for me, just shaded by the outstanding James Streeter.  Cesar Corrales was another dancer I have only seen in the classical idiom and he was just sensational as Hilarion.  Stina Quagebeur continued to scare the life out of me as Myrthe.

 

What has been so wonderful for me over these two performances is seeing two artistes such as Tamara Rojo and Alina Cojocaru bringing so much to the eponymous role, both so brilliant and so different.

 

Many people in the stalls leapt to their feet last night and the buzz leaving the theatre was as big as it was going in.

 

I just love this production!

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Don Q Fan

Don Q Fan

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Saw the Premiere last night. I only really like classical ballet as I just don't get most modern but this was just brilliant. It was a very moving, emotional and gripping performance. Alina Cojacaru and Isaac Hernandez were great as were Cesar Corales as a very menacing Hilarion and Stina Quagebeur a very menacing Mrytha! I liked the music with its sprinkling of echoes of the original. At the end Akram Khan and team joined the dancers on stage. I just wish ENB would do proper longer curtain calls as the dancers SO deserve to receive the applause of the audience and it always seems very short. I was lucky to meet Alina, Cesar, Isaac and Tamara at the stage door and they were all thrilled to hear the reaction from fans it really did mean a lot to them. Isaac was delighted to be dancing something different after having done several years of classical. I think this just highlights how cleverly Ms Rojo is running this wonderful company.

If you are in any doubt whether to see this I would say go. I was surprised I liked it and would love to see it again with Tamara Rojo and James Streeter.

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Jan McNulty

Jan McNulty

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Saw the Premiere last night. I only really like classical ballet as I just don't get most modern but this was just brilliant. It was a very moving emotional performance. Alina Cojacaru and Isaac Hernandez were great as was Cesar Corales as a very menacing Hilarion. I liked the music with its sprinkling of echoes of the original. At the end Akram Kahn and team joined the dancers on stage. I just wish ENB would do proper longer curtain calls as the dancers SO deserve to receive the applause of the audience and it always seems very short.

If you are in any doubt whether to see this I would say go. I was surprised I liked it and would love to see it again with Tamara Rojo and James Streeter.

 

 

The curtain calls were a farce last night.  The company took their bows, the conductor took his, the creative team came on and took theirs.  The curtain fell, the house lights came on!!  The audience was going doolally.  The house lights were left on, no-one was moving so the curtain was half raised and we were able to applaud a bit more before it was closed again.

 

THE COMPANY DESERVED SO MUCH MORE THAN THIS FOR SUCH A WONDERFUL PERFORMANCE!  Let us show our appreciation for as long as we want to...

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capybara

capybara

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The curtain calls were a farce last night.  The company took their bows, the conductor took his, the creative team came on and took theirs.  The curtain fell, the house lights came on!!  The audience was going doolally.  The house lights were left on, no-one was moving so the curtain was half raised and we were able to applaud a bit more before it was closed again.

 

THE COMPANY DESERVED SO MUCH MORE THAN THIS FOR SUCH A WONDERFUL PERFORMANCE!  Let us show our appreciation for as long as we want to...

 

They should have judged this better on the basis of the previews. ENB often undercooks curtain calls because of overtime implications but this Giselle is even shorter than the traditional one and there is no excuse (not even an artistic one) for not letting the audience show proper appreciation.

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aileen

aileen

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Particular kudos to the composer Vincenzo Lamagna for stepping in at short notice. In the article in The Times on Saturday Akram Khan said that he and Lamagna had to work together at night and that he (Khan) only got a couple of hours sleep, between 4 and 6am. It must have been incredibly stressful pulling it all together in time and I'm delighted to hear that the ballet was so well received as there was a lot riding on it. I'm pleased that I contributed, albeit very modestly, to the production. I'm looking forward to seeing it at the Wells.

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Ian Macmillan

Ian Macmillan

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Judith Mackrell's 4* review for tomorrow's Guardian is enthusiastic, whilst making points on the narrative that she feels require to be fixed:

 

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/sep/28/giselle-review-akram-khan-english-national-ballet

 

And I note that Terpsichore made parallel points in her Blog review - see #28, above.

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