Irmgard

I expect my views about the causes of this gala are in a very small minority but, while I applaud the first cause of this gala, of providing grants to struggling dance students in Ukraine, I do not think the second cause, of paying for Ashton’s “La fille mal gardée” to be staged by the National Ballet of Ukraine, is what Ukraine needs or probably wants at this extremely difficult time.  The National Ballet of Ukraine have recently been touring Canada with all profits to be donated to the Olena Zelenska Foundation which funds medicine, education and humanitarian aid throughout Ukraine so this is obviously where their priorities lie.  I was probably one of the first in line to buy a ticket for the first Dance for Ukraine gala, where it was advertised that the profits would go to registered charities (DEC), but this time I will donate the ticket price directly to a charitable cause in Ukraine.  Of course, I wish this gala well and hope that, in a vast theatre like the Palladium, the net profit will exceed the £160,00 raised last time because I would like to point out, for those who are unaware, that ENB’s Ukrainian ballerina, Katja Khaniukova organised and performed in a gala last summer in the National Opera House of Ukraine, in collaboration with the Kyiv School of Economics, which raised $2 million (yes, you read that correctly, $2 million) for Medevac air ambulances, the first of which has been operational for the last few months.  What an incredible achievement for her first attempt at organising a gala!

@Sim, I wasn’t sure about responding to Matthew Paluch’s article on here but, as you asked for my opinion, here goes!  His article appeared on my Facebook page this morning and I have to say that I was perplexed by it, although its main thrust seems to be that, because members of the audience laughed at two very minor and fleeting moments in Act 2, there is a problem with the Skeaping production!  As I previously mentioned, I attended all the performances and, yes, some audience members at most of the performances laughed at Giselle’s veil flying off and her ‘flying’ across the back but, as I and others have said on here, it was not laughing in ridicule but at the surprise of both moments, much as audiences from the baroque era onwards did when confronted with various stage effects (having worked at the wonderful perspective theatre at Drottningholm with its amazing bits of set that suddenly pop up through the stage, I can understand audiences at that time looking forward to these moments and responding to them with delight), so I see no problem with audiences expressing themselves in this way, especially “the ones who actually bothered to buy a ticket and rock up to the theatre” (and I find nothing “scary” about this).  Paluch was a member of ENB’s corps de ballet when “Giselle” was performed 2005-2007 but, unless he was cast as a gamekeeper, he would have been out of the theatre by the time Act 2 happened so he would not have realised that the laughter at those moments has been happening for a very long time (going back to the 1970s) but it has always been good-natured.  Incidentally, there was also laughter at a number of performances when the last two Wilis chased the final gamekeeper off the stage but, again, it was not laughter ridiculing the moment but almost saying “job well done”!    He mentions Giselle being carried by a company member in black (affectionately known as “the man in black” within the company) across the back of the stage but fails to mention the skill this dancer requires, with Giselle actually perched on his shoulder, to run smoothly enough to give the impression that she is floating or flying.  For those interested, it was Junor Souza at most performances, chosen by me for his exceptional partnering skills.  Paluch rather messes up his “spoiler alert” because I think what he meant was that the dancer performing Myrtha does not have supernatural powers and the dancer performing Giselle cannot fly but, at first glance, it certainly reads as if he is talking about the characters rather than the dancers!

I was surprised by his remarks about the mime.  I have never heard mime criticised before for being musical!  Of course, there are varying degrees of accomplishment in performing mime and I would have loved to have had more rehearsal time for this but almost everyone performed the mime naturally and musically, exactly as Mary Skeaping taught it to me, she in turn having learned it from Tamara Karsavina and, of course, Anna Pavlova.   And I certainly do not recall anyone putting “every gesture on a beat”, as the gestures are done to phrases of music.   

I am not sure what he means by his sentence “Elsewhere we find other predictable moments from all areas of the theatre” but he then goes on to talk about the Wilis' “infamous (??) hops” across the stage.  Why not call them what they are – temps levés in arabesque.  And in ENB they are never referred to as hops but as shunts, as the ladies must only lift their heels from the floor enough to shunt the working leg forward to give the smooth, floating effect.  And if someone wants to clap after a few “hops”, why not?  The ladies would certainly appreciate acknowledgement of their efforts!

I think Paluch must have been the only person who thought he was in Camelot in Act 1 as the designs are clearly Tudor, with the necessary Germanic influence on the buildings and the castle in the background!

Since he is too coy to say which cast he saw, it is almost impossible to comment on his scathing reaction to Albrecht, although he does say “many who are cast” are “waiting for the …Instagrammable moment.” but he confesses that he only saw one cast!  And I cannot think of any Albrechts who approached “the whole event as a number of competition solos with some bits in between”, although of course some are naturally better than others in getting under the skin of the character.

As someone else mentioned, it does seem like he is regretting that Osipova was not dancing Giselle, to the point of including a photograph of her in the role rather than any of ENB’s lovely Giselles, but I am not sure that a Giselle “who verges on the unhinged” well before the mad scene would fit Skeaping’s production or Gautier’s original conception of the role and neither would “frenzied concern” in Act 2.  As Markova says she learned from Sergueyev, Giselle still has her human emotions in Act 2 but they are muted as she is now a phantom.

Paluch says right at the beginning of his article that he remembers dancing in Skeaping’s production as an “enjoyable and vivid experience”.  From the ovations at the end of every performance, I would like to think that the majority of people in the audience felt the same way and had been fully engaged with it.  Considering the number of dancers who have told me they cannot wait to perform this “Giselle” again, it appears they also found it to be an enjoyable and vivid experience!

On 26/01/2024 at 15:20, alison said:

Thank you, Irmgard, for using the word "upstage".  It's precisely why I rarely like peasant pas de deux in Giselle, and prefer, say, the pas de six of the Royal Ballet's production - it doesn't feel as though those dancers are detracting from the leads.

This is where I think Mary Skeaping was so clever at stagecraft.  Although she kept it as a pas de deux, she placed it much earlier in the action so that it could not possibly upstage Giselle's mad scene (its original intention) and, of course, in her production, Giselle's famous Act 1 solo comes immediately after the pas de deux, and it is far enough in advance  of the complete Pas des Vendanges for Giselle and Albrecht, which contains solos for both of them, not to detract from either this or the mad scene which follows. 

3 hours ago, Amelia said:

 

Thank you for your research. May I ask for some clarity regarding the music long attributed to Minkus. Is it still attributed to him or is it Burgmüller's music? Same question about Puni.

 

I believe it may now be thought to be by Pugni.  As far as I am aware, the Act 2 waltz is definitely by Pugni.  The only music in "Giselle" by Burgmueller is the suite of dances used for the Peasant pas de deux (or quatre or six, depending on the production!).

Just another thought about the wings.  This is Cyril Beaumont's translation, published in his book "The Ballet Called Giselle" of the  libretto of "Giselle" by Saint-Georges and Gautier which was available to audience members in Paris in 1841 (I have a copy of the one for Swedish audiences a few years later) and which gives a detailed synopsis of each scene in the ballet:

"On Myrtha's white shoulders tremble and flutter the diaphanous wings with which the Wili can envelop herself as though in a gauzy veil".  

"Giselle appears swathed in her thin shroud. She goes towards Myrtha, who touches her with her branch of rosemary; the shroud falls off and Giselle is changed into a Wili. Her wings grow and unfold".  

Of course, there is some artistic licence taken with the libretto compared to what might have actually happened onstage but the engravings and lithographs at that time all show the Wilis  (including Giselle) with wings.

7 hours ago, Fonty said:

Rather late, but just a brief note about the matinee on Thursday 18th January.  My second visit, and decided to treat myself to an extremely nice seat in the stalls for a change.  A wonderful Giselle from Emma Hawes.  She seemed a less frail Giselle than Khaniukova,   with slightly less emphasis on the heart condition in the first act.  Her mad scene was more energetic,  and at one point I really thought she was actually going to stab herself with the sword. .   Incidentally, from my seat in the third row, I could see her mother removing the pins from her hair.  Does the dancer playing the mother know exactly how many pins she has to take out?  Does Giselle sometimes stand with some strands still pinned up?  It wouldn't matter in the slightest, just make her look even more distressed, but my practical mind ponders these things.  I thought Vsevolod Maievskyi was a very elegant dancer, and he had wonderful hair that danced along with him.    I agree with the comment that he really did look too noble to be a peasant, although having said that I didn't realise how tall he was until the curtain calls.  Precious Adams was a terrific Mrytha, full of menace.  A lovely peasant pas de deux from Cloe Keneally and Noam Durand, and the rest of the company were on very good form.  I was surprised that so many of the solos were by dancers from the lesser ranks, they were so good.  

Even though I could actually see Hilarion's mime this time, I still don't like the lighting in Act 2.  Myrtha spends a lot of the time to the side of the stage, and because Precious Adams has dark skin, the only time I could clearly see her wonderful,  terrifying facial expressions was when she moved closer to centre stage where the lighting was stronger.  

 

Apart from that, I would be very happy to see this production every year.  Or at least every other year. 

Just to answer a few points.  No, Berthe (played by the wonderful Laura Hussey) does not know how many pins there are to remove, as each Giselle has a different hair style which can take a different number of pins, depending on the day!  In consultation with ENB's excellent wig mistress, Amelia Carrington-Lee, we went back to original thoughts on the production and so several of the Giselles wore their hair down for Act 1, just tied back off the face with some flower clips (I have vivid memories of Eva Evdokimova wearing her hair this way).  And yes, there were times when not all the pins were removed and the hair looked particularly disheveled, as it is meant to - particularly Khaniukova at the last performance, adding to the poignancy of her incredible mad scene.  

I am glad that you appreciated that so many of the solos were done by the lower ranking dancers and were done so well.  Having watched the company very closely over the last couple of years, I wanted to highlight the talent that there is at all levels of the company and happily Aaron Watkin agreed with me when we were doing the casting.  

As per a previous post, it is impossible to change the lighting for individual dancers as it is computerised these days and so has to be the same for each performance.  However, I may see if it is possible to make it slightly less dark at certain moments in Act 2 in future without losing the wonderful effect when the Wilis are chasing the gamekeepers. 

Thank you for your lovely final comment!  I think there are a lot of dancers who would also be very happy to dance it at least every other year! 

7 hours ago, Roberta said:

 

It's interesting to watch the mechanics of the wire from the wings removing the veil. It isn't magic after all. How disappointing. 

 

Talking of 'wings' (sorry) I've been searching for days (for 'searching' read rummaging in my mind, through books, via Google) for the source of a remembrance of Giselle sprouting wings. I do know the context was a production where Giselle rises from the grave, bows to Myrtha, Myrtha touches her (with myrtle wand?), all the while Giselle has her hands crossed in front of her chest. At that point in some productions the veil is removed and her wings sprout from her back. She then launches into that frantic sequence of hopping turns, as she has become a Wili.  So, the mechanics of the sprouting? The wings were held down with a thin thread passing to her front, and Giselle had to break the thread to allow her wings to spring before she could hop and hop and hop. 

 

During my searches, one discovery was this post 'Do Wilis have wings?' and it is truly remarkable. https://balletalert.invisionzone.com/topic/13115-do-wilis-have-wings/

 

In the 1841 piano reduction of Adam's score (a treasure trove of stage directions), there is the following direction for Myrtha just before Giselle launches into her temps leves en tournant: "Myrtha le touche de son rameau et les ailes lui poussent", i.e Myrtha touches Giselle with her branch (rosemary in the score) and her wings appear.  In the Skeaping production, Giselle does not have wings, I believe purely for the practical reason that they would get in the way during the pas de deux, but I believe it was Alicia Markova who wrote about how nervous she was that she would not be able to break the thread for her wings to sprout in time so that she could start her turns. The Wilis in Skeaping's production, on the other hand, have very beautiful wings! As they are meant to arrive from all over the world at that particular glade on that particular night to initiate Giselle, they would definitely have needed some mode of transport to get them there!

55 minutes ago, Tattin said:

Many thanks to you all for replying to questions/points I made: to FionaM for the names of the dancers doing the leading wilis; to Birdy for the information about the moon and the recording,and to Stucha for the composer of the music for the Act I pas de deux (in this case pas de quatre). I always felt the music was slightly different from the rest but, after seeing countless productions of Giselle  over the years I have never seen Burgmuller's name added to that pf Adam, as it obviously should be. Was he Adam's assistant? Did he compose for any other ballets? I'll look him up. 

Burgmueller was not Adam's assistant.  He was a contemporary of his.  When "Giselle" was created in 1841, his music was used to create a suite of dances (now known as the Peasant Pas de Deux) for etoile Nathalie Fitzjames and her partner, interpolated into the ballet just before the mad scene  to upstage the new star, Carlotta Grisi - a purely political move.  Adam objected strongly to this interpolation and later sued Burgmueller when he published one of the pieces as the 'famous waltz from Giselle'.  The suite consisted of an entree and adage, two solos for the female and two solos for the male, plus the coda.  Most productions from the 20th and 21st centuries also include Giselle's now-famous Act 1 solo to music long attributed to Minkus and the Act 2 waltz solo attributed to Pugni, both added in Russia in the 1880s. 

On 24/01/2024 at 08:15, Pulcinella said:

 

 

I seem to remember that Sir Peter Wright's production for Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet/BRB had a pas de quatre in Act 1 but without checking my cast lists I can't be certain.

In the version he did for the National Ballet of Canada, it was definitely a pas de quatre.

17 minutes ago, alison said:

 

Oh good.  I missed it - again  - because I never remember to be looking for it in the right place, but it always amazes me how most Albrechts don't seem to notice the addition to Giselle's wardrobe.  When I see they recognise it as belonging to their fiancee, it adds a very credible note of foreboding.  I say "most" - it's indicative of its rarity that the last time I actively recall seeing it was the Armand performance I mentioned upthread, a couple of decades ago! 

It is actually part of the production that Giselle shows the necklace to Albrecht, who recognises it as belonging to Bathilde and we should see a reaction of surprise/worry from Albrecht (which Giselle does not see), but sometimes that moment might get lost in all the commotion with the cart being brought on.  In fact, this is why Giselle does not go into the house with the royal party - she runs off to find Albrecht because she is so excited to show him the necklace.  

12 hours ago, PatC said:

I FINALLY managed to get to a performance yesterday matinee. This was the Giselle production I started my ballet viewing with all those years ago when the company was London Festival Ballet. In those days I was front row Balcony for performance after performance of those glorious summer seasons with a plethora of mixed bills / classics and guest artists. Giselle for me during those years was Evdokimova and Terabust - Albrecht would possibly have been Schaufuss and Armand. 

Maina Gielgud did shows called Steps notes and squeaks and one of the evenings was dedicated to Giselle - Anton Dolin was coaching. From it I remember him decrying the use of lilies by Albrecht in the 2nd act - he thought it should be wild flowers picked on his way to the grave which I think is a lovely thought - so I despise the lilies - is it a Russian addition? He also instructed the Albrecht that he should not take his eyes off Giselle when they cross front stage - ‘you cannot believe your eyes so you do not look away’ - I’ve yet to see any dancer do that.

 

Quibbles aside, this for me is the OG version and cannot be faulted, even with the lighting issues. To see Kase and Frola yesterday afternoon was glorious.

 

One small query though @Irmgard I thought the Myrtha entrance yesterday was different - my memory has 2 diagonals with veil on but only one yesterday - have my memories decieved me?

Myrtha only has the one long diagonal with veil on, and then bourrées across the back, having removed her veil.  

Mary Skeaping also disliked the lilies in Act 2 but they are part of the David Walker designs and she had to defer to him about those, but she said it looked like Albrecht had stopped off at the local florist on is way to the grave.  She also thought it should look like he had gathered wildflowers - and her comment to me predated Gielgud's "Steps, Notes and Squeaks".  I agree that Albrecht should not take his eyes off Giselle on those crossings and I think I managed to convince at least one of my casts to do this but obviously note the one you saw. 

3 hours ago, Sebastian said:

Just to say Irmgard, it’s a wonderful programme, thank you very much. I have not been able to get to the Coliseum until this afternoon (super show) so have only just bought one. Are we allowed to know who is responsible for the unsigned parts? 
 

I was going to stay and watch again this evening but a family emergency meant I had to hurry home. However I am much looking forward to going to the last performance tomorrow. 

Thank you very much.  The unsigned parts were a joint effort between the Marketing Department and me.

5 hours ago, Emeralds said:

No, no, nothing that he needs to repent of- that was a wonderful gesture and if I were his teacher/parent/family I'd be so proud of him for doing that. (Not a huge difference between 3 vs 4 shows anyway.)

 

The person who might be questioning it might be Katja because of the extra work she had to put in- but I  think she needn't regret anything either because she gave a magnificent performance on Tuesday and she now knows she can do Giselle in high pressure situations: 1) with two different partners, one at short notice, 2) pull off two shows on consecutive days (probably won't advise repeating this often though!)...and both times the audience loved her: lots of warmth and cheers throughout the auditorium. They both just need to stay rested and healthy for Sunday 👍.  

 

Aitor and Katja's show closing the Coliseum season will be very special. If I didn't have prior commitments today and tomorrow, I'd get tickets to watch all three performances this weekend! (Especially  since the weather is warming up today and tomorrow too....typical 😌 😀!) 

Just to point out that Khaniukova and Arrieta did the dress rehearsal the night before opening night, meaning that they actually gave three full performances of the ballet on three consecutive nights, as they danced full out at the dress rehearsal.  I salute them for this amazing achievement and am very grateful to them for leading the company for Mary Skeaping's "Giselle", and in such an exemplary and selfless way.  

4 hours ago, alison said:

 

I've refreshed it several times, and mine is still saying Saruhashi.

It will definitely be Frola dancing with Kase tomorrow afternoon as, sadly, Saruhashi has not recovered enough from his minor injury to perform.

3 hours ago, maryrosesatonapin said:

I was at this performance and agree with everything you say, @Emeralds. I was particularly impressed with Emily Suzuki's powerful Myrtha. 

One thing that shocked me, though, was that the audience laughed inappropriately twice: once when the ghostly Giselle's veil was snatched away, and once when she was 'floating' in the background.  How crass, I thought, wiping away my tears.

I have not been bothered by the laughing at the various stage effects at most of the performances (I am at all of them) as it has been quite gentle, as if they are laughing with delight rather than finding anything particularly funny.  In fact, it is much as audiences reacted in the baroque era -they expressed their delight quite noisily at the various stage effects.

4 hours ago, Emeralds said:

I'm sorry if I jinxed Ken Saruhashi by saying that! But of course, January is flu season and Albrecht is a hardworking role after a busy month of Nutcrackers.....which makes Khaniukova, Arrieta and Takahashi's saving of the Friday and Sunday shows all the more remarkable.

 

Wishing Ken Saruhashi a speedy recovery! 

 

I did consider saying the p word, but I dare not jinx Katja's chances! I will just say she is a total star for not just the last minute jump in on Friday but also going to the trouble of rehearsing with a new partner for Tuesday. And also want to add that those beautifu attitude turns are the hallmark of a lead-ing star! (There you go @alison and @CCL....everything but the actual word! Would be thrilled for her if it did happen!) 

 

I notice with some bemusement that the leadership have just morphed Daniel McCormick into Miguel Angel Maidana as well..... 🤣 (Joking of course- it makes sense to rest McCormick after his show last night and to give Miguel another chance at the Peasant pdd) I would have liked to see tonight's cast whether with Saruhashi or Frola but unfortunately I can't go as I have an important delivery tonight and an early appointment tomorrow morning. Wishing Shiori Kase and colleagues toi toi toi! 

 

Anyone here who is going tonight, do let us know what you thought. 🖥 📱 

Usually I feel it would be inappropriate of me to 'review' casts in this production as I have been so heavily involved with it and with all of the dancers but I have to say that I was extremely proud of Shiori Kase making her debut (!) as Giselle tonight with a partner with whom she had had about half an hour's rehearsal.  She gave a highly accomplished performance, and Frola was there, supporting her all the way, partnering her as if they had been dancing together for years.  The camaraderie of the dancers in this company is awe inspiring! 

3 hours ago, LinMM said:

Would love to have seen Erina Takahashi and Cesar Corrales together in Giselle!! 

It was a match made in heaven!

1 hour ago, alison said:

This would also have been the production I saw at the Festival Hall in (?)1991, with Yelena Pankova guesting, would it?  I'm guessing from my recall of the programme cover, which had rather etiolated drawings on it rather than photos.

 

I thought Takahashi did appear to stab herself with the sword last night, by the way.

Yes, the last time Mary Skeaping's production was performed in London, prior to Derek Deane taking over as Artistic Director, was 1991 at Royal Festival Hall.  It was brought back by in 2005 by Matz Skoog. Aaron Watkin appeared in it as a member of the corps de ballet in 1991,  hence his desire to present it during his first season as Artistic Director.

Skeaping went with Pavlova's version regarding the sword, in that it is a shiny thing which Giselle, in her demented state, sees as a toy to play with and will not let the villagers take it away from her but, yes, Takahashi's Hilarion was a bit slow off the mark in snatching it from her last night!  The joys of live performance!

22 minutes ago, alison said:

Ah, that's what it was.  I was thinking it was Cojocaru, until people on here were saying otherwise.

Cojocaru was on maternity leave during the Belfast performances.

On 17/01/2024 at 08:44, JohnS said:

Much to admire in last night’s Giselle and fabulous dancing: I was hugely impressed by Khaniukova, Frola, McWinney, and the ENB Corps.

 

Authenticity certainly has merit and particularly when handled with such care. But on first viewing of the Skeaping production, I thought the production so favoured authenticity that some of the dramatic appeal of Giselle was lost and I can appreciate the comments much earlier in the thread about audience members feeling less engaged.
 

I apologise in advance that I’m contrasting the Skeaping production with the Royal Ballet’s but I found throughout that I was missing the Royal Ballet’s heightened dramatic impetus and fleshing out of all characters. I rather like how Hilarion and Berthe are presented in the Royal Ballet’s production, Hilarion giving the brace of pheasants to Berthe and Berthe clearly favouring Hilarion. I find it odd that Bathilde presents the necklace to Giselle because they’re both engaged rather than for Giselle’s dancing. Might Bathilde offer every engaged girl she encounters her necklace where, despite her wealth, surely Bathilde would run out of necklaces in short order? I missed the artistry of the Royal Ballet’s PD6 and recall so many fabulous performances by young dances who are now Principals. The PD2 didn’t hit such a high mark for me. And I much prefer the Royal Ballet’s nod to suicide (better fitting the location of Giselle’s grave) rather than Skeaping’s ‘weak heart only’ explanation for Giselle’s demise.
 

In Act 2 I did like the first interaction with Hilarion and the villagers and their brush with the Wilis. But I had the distinct impression that the villages had fled so was surprised to see their reappearance which to me slowed the drama down where I thought Hilarion could have done with a bit more of the action. But I think I was most surprised when Myrtha’s spell was broken so early in Act 2 where I’m afraid I found the fugue straight after quite incongruous, for me breaking the drama. And despite the impressive programme notes, I really struggled to see how Act 2 could be sustained when Myrtha had been vanquished so much earlier. I find the final scene of Giselle one of the greatest scenes in all ballet which often breaks me when Albrecht finds Giselle’s flower at the end of the Royal Ballet’s production. But despite last night’s fabulous dancing, I wasn’t as moved as I often am which I think largely results from the production’s quest for authenticity.
 

That said I’m very much looking forward to Thursday’s matinee and I’ll be interested in how I find a second viewing after further re-reading of the programme.

Just to answer a couple of points.  Skeaping follows the original scenario written by Gautier and Vernoy St. Georges which calls for Bathilde to present Giselle with the necklace on becoming entranced by her and finding out that she, too, is engaged.  It is almost as if she is presenting her with a dowry.  Amongst Gautier's musings on the plot is Bathilde's wish to take Giselle back to the castle with her as a lady-in-waiting (obviously highly improbable in real medieval times as ladies-in-waiting had to be of high birth, but just one of Gautier's many flights of fancy).  In the original outline of the action for the ballet, there is no solo for Giselle to dance for Bathilde either before or after she gives her the necklace.  Therefore, it is up to the producer to decide whether or not to include the interpolated solo (to music generally attributed to Minkus) in the ballet and where it most usefully serves a dramatic purpose.  Gautier makes no mention of Giselle committing suicide or attempting to commit suicide.  It is much more in keeping with the ethos of the Romantic era for a heroine to die of a broken heart but, again, it is up to the producer to decide which approach to take.  Skeaping followed the leads of Pavlova, Spessivtseva and Nicholas Sergueyev in having Giselle die of a broken heart.  The fact that Giselle is buried in a woodland glade is also from the Gautier scenario and does not signify that she is buried in unconsecrated ground but, rather, gives a beautiful setting for Act 2.  There is always some suspension of disbelief in ballet or opera plots of this era but, even today, it is not unknown for people to be buried in places other than cemeteries.   As per my previous post, in the original scenario, there were two separate groups of men appearing in Act 2: the gamekeepers and then peasants returning home from a party.  Presumably for budgetary reasons, Skeaping combined the two in her later versions of her production, with the instruction that the gamekeeper who have fled from the first vision of the Wilis have been rounded up by other Wilis haunting the woods.  With regard to the fugue, this is an essential element of the original score and scenario to show that Myrtha's power is being challenged by Giselle, who constantly thwarts her until the sunrise which does break her power. It also shows that the Wilis' power is not stronger than the cross, conflict between the religious and the supernatural being another favourite element of the Romantic era.  When the Wilis fail to draw Albrecht away from the cross (his protecting factor), Myrtha commands Giselle (who must still obey Myrtha) to dance seductively to lure Albrecht away from the cross, which is exactly what happens.  

7 hours ago, alison said:

 

She always was a lovely Giselle right from the very beginning, and still is, based on tonight's performance, so I was very glad to have seen her, especially after having missed her last time around (I think she was absent, but it's possible I wasn't able to see her in the limited performances I did get to see).

The lovely Erina Takahashi was on maternity leave during the last run at the Coliseum in 2017 but made it back onstage within three months of her son's birth to perform Giselle in Belfast in June 2017 with the fabulous Cesar Corrales as her Albrecht.

3 hours ago, CHazell2 said:

I love this production and I think that it should be filmed for posterity.

 

I wonder why Cojocaru didn't like the production? Maybe it was too different to the Royal Ballet version.

 

 

It was not that she did not like the production, it was just that there were elements she did not embrace, such as the mime scenes, preferring to do her own thing which could be rather disconcerting for her colleagues onstage. It would be lovely to have a proper film of the production - the late, great Eva Evdokimova planned to do so in the 1980s but sadly it never happened. 

ENB's website has finally been updated to show that Frola will dance with Khaniukova this evening.  This is not due to any injury to Arrieta.  Arrieta has graciously stepped aside to allow Frola to have a second performance, as he had to miss his show last Friday.  Khaniukova would have done the same for Oliveira but she is still injured.  I love the wonderful camaraderie amongst all these dancers🥰 !  Khaniukova and Arrieta will dance the last show together (21st) as planned. 

20 hours ago, Roberta said:

 

Whose shed is it anyhow?  How is it Albrecht has access? If it is his as part of his estate how is it that no-one recognises him until the hunting party with potential father in law & fiancé arrives?  Does it belong in fact to the Duke?  So many questions! 

In the Skeaping production, the castle and all the surrounding lands belong to the Prince of Courland and his daughter, Bathilde, so Albrecht (Duke of Silesia, which is not in the Rhineland) is on an extended visit to his fiancee (perhaps for the actual wedding ceremony) which is why no-one in the village recognises him (and there would be many villages attached to the Prince's lands so some of the villagers may never have seen the Prince or Bathilde before, either).  HIs resourceful squire, Wilfred, would have ascertained that there was an empty hut or cabine in Giselle's village for Albrecht to use when he is escaping from the Court. In Skeaping's production, there is no lock on the door (it is too humble a dwelling to have such a thing) but, as Albrecht closes the door, the rusty latch sticks, which is why Hilarion has to use his knife to gain entry.  Of course, the audience does not know about the latch sticking, but that is the dramatic motivation given to Hilarions when rehearsing the scene. 

20 hours ago, Fonty said:

Also, Hilarion's actions are entirely understandable, given that Albrecht strides up to the area outside, dressed in peasant clothing but wearing an expensive cloak and with his sword strapped to his side.  The stupid idiot.  Didn't he think when he was putting it on that it might be spotted?   Now why didn't his companion say to him that perhaps the outfit wasn't appropriate and persuade him to wear some rough old coat and swap his sword for whatever peasants carried in those days.

But then, reality has never been a strong point in any dramatic tale....

 

"Stupid idiot" is exactly what Albrecht says to himself in Skeaping's production when he realises he is still wearing his cloak and sword 😁.  He's so anxious to see Giselle that he's forgotten to take off his cloak and sword before he gets to the village.  Wilfred arrives after Albrecht has hidden his cloak (not an expensive one in this production) and sword in the hut (referred to by Gautier as a "cabine") to tell him to stop this folly and come back to the castle with him...