Giselle

Giselle is the symbol of romantic ballet. Illustrations in die-cut paper by Charlotte Gastaut, with transparent book leaves symbolizing fog to reproduce dreams and poetry.

The Ballet : libretto by Théophile Gautier and Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges, from a poem by Heinrich Heine
Music by Adolphe Adams

 

The Story : Giselle, a young country girl, loves Albrecht. She dies in his honour, flouting her mother’s protests, which reminds him of the story of the wilis, those sad young girls transformed into ghosts for having danced too much. As a love-sick lover turned away by Giselle, Hilarion the gamekeeper discovers that Albrecht is no other than the duke of Silesia, engaged to the daughter of the duke of Courland. In front of everyone he reveals the identity of his rival. Giselle loses herself over it and collapses lifeless. Venus in turn gathers her thoughts by night over Giselle’s grave, while Hilarion and Albrecht are prey to the wilis and their queen, the implacable Myrtha, who condemns them to dance till death. Coming out of her tomb, Giselle, now a new wili, attempts to intervene. Albrecht will only be saved by the first rays of the dawnwhich bring the wilis back home.

 

 

By the same author: Swan Lake, The Firebird, Sleeping Beauty