By Richelle Sutton
Ballet West performs Giselle, and be prepared for a classical ballet story that has swept audiences away since 1841! Giselle, the complicated work of Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Théophile Gautier in the Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre in Salt Lake City, Utah. Giselle, composed by Adolphe Adam, premiered in Paris with the lead ballerina Carlotta Grisi and gained immediate success. To this day, it is considered a masterwork in the classical ballet canon. The story revolves around a young, beautiful peasant girl who finds herself in love with the charming Loys. He courts Giselle before being revealed as Albrecht, a nobleman with a fiancée already. Inconsolable, and already with a weak disposition, Giselle overstrains herself and dies. The Wilis, vengeful maidens who were betrayed by their lovers, take up her spirit and induct her into their clan. As Albrecht comes to grieve over the grave of Giselle, the Wilis enchant him to dance until he dies. Giselle works to save the young man she loves and at the same time find salvation for herself.
Ballet West boasts a long and successful history with a plethora of talented members. Their production of Giselle is stunning, just taking into account the grace and strength of each performer on the stage. I was amazed at the level of emotion the ensemble exhibits in every scene. They show enough to illustrate and encourage the storytelling while still drawing the focus to the main action instead of themselves. It is hard enough not to draw focus to yourself when acting at that level of emotion, but to help keep the focus on the main action, just with pure body language, is an amazing feat that this ensemble accomplishes with seeming ease. Beckanne Sisk (Sayaka Ohtaki, Katherine Lawrence) dances Giselle’s part while maintaining an aura of both delicacy and strength. She exhibits such vigor and life within her character that displays a terribly beautiful dissonance to her impending death. Chase O’Connell (Rex Tilton, Adrian Fry) as Albrecht is a strong foil for the character of Giselle. Where she is weak in body but strong in spirit, he is very strong physically but shows a feeble spirit within. Chase commands the stage with his presence and practically floats through the air. Allison DeBona (Katlyn Addison, Marge Hendrick) is a stunning Myrthe, dogmatic and unyielding in both her acting and dancing. Hadriel Diniz (Alexander MacFarlan, Tyler Gum) is the tragic Hilarion, showing an extreme amount of skill and strength in his dancing when with the Wilis. Artistic director Adam Sklute mentions within the program that their mission is to “revitalize some of the world’s beloved classical ballets” and to help audiences connect them to today. Adam is artful not only for his choice in producing this piece with Ballet West, but how he has also connected it with his audience here.
It is easy to be pulled into the magnificent beauty of Ballet West’s performers. What really brings texture to the story and dancers is the amazing use of scenery and lights. As the curtain rose at the beginning of the show, I was struck with awe at the intricate detail within the sets and costumes by Peter Cazalet. The scenery seems to be taken directly out of a painting. With the addition of the performers, it creates a moving picture indicative of the old French Romanticism that the ballet originally hails from. The costumes were similarly wrought with beautiful detail and texture. My favorite part was watching the Wilis dance with long veils overshadowing their heads and arms. It created a hauntingly beautiful effect to the graveyard scene. The lighting by Joseph R. Walls is similarly expert in creating the mood of the piece while also highlighting important points within each scene. Subtle details like the ominous moon and the peaceful breaking dawn tell the story in ways that the performers cannot express themselves. Flowing through all of it is the exquisite sound of the Ballet West Orchestra directed by Jared Oaks, bringing to life the incredible melodies of this beloved ballet.
Ballet West‘s Giselle is a piece you won’t want to miss. Showing that love and forgiveness transcends human mortality, Giselle is a production for all those who love to enjoy the art of classical ballet. Ballet West performs in the Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre in Salt Lake City, Utah and invites you to experience this beloved story with them.
Ballet West presents Giselle, libretto written by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Théophile Gautier, and composed by Adolphe Adam.
The Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre, 50 West 200 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
February 7 – February 15, 2020, 7:30 PM Saturday Matinee February 8 and 15, 2:00 PM
Tickets: $15-$99 Availability of Student/Educator/Senior/First Responder/Military/Rush tickets will be determined the week of performance. For more information, call 801-869-6900
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