The late George Balanchine, one of the 20th century’s foremost ballet choreographers, once called Giselle ‘the Hamlet of ballets’. In this tragic tale, Giselle is a young peasant girl who falls in love a disguised nobleman. When she realises that she cannot be with him Giselle goes mad and dies of a weak heart, only to be revived as a spirit in the second act. As with Hamlet, the role of Giselle is one which many leading ballerinas strive towards their whole careers.
Maina Gielgud’s reinterpretation of this classic production is subtlety and traditionally executed by The Australian Ballet. The classic score was performed by Orchestra Victoria, guided by Music Director and conductor Nicolette Fraillon, and while musically the piece is sometimes repetitive, lacking a memorable melody comparable to Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, it is nonetheless paired well with the choreography and narrative tone.
Outgoing Principle Artist Madeleine Eastoe is dancing her final season with the Australian Ballet as Giselle, and is effortlessly captivating. While the roles of Giselle and Count Albrecht will be rotated throughout the season, Eastoe’s portrayal showed a perfect balance between the weakly girl of the first act and her later transformation into a dark spirit, an excellent display of her established acting prowess.
Kevin Jackson as Count Albrecht was technically on point and exuded the role’s ideal traits of both arrogance and remorse. The stand out of the night however was Chengwu Guo dancing the peasant pas de deux; technically stunning, it was easy to see that he could fit the role of Albrecht, which he will be fulfilling in upcoming performances of the ballet.
The two acts stood in contrast with one another, from reality to otherworldly, from light and the dark, navigating Giselle’s mental ascension from fragile girl to powerful woman. The lighting enhanced this transformation beautifully, with Francis Croese’s reinterpretation of William Akers’ original lighting skillfully constrained particularly within the second act’s darkly yet delicately lit surrounds.
Throughout the first half, tiny glimmers of opening night jitters emerged with the occasional mistimed group sequence and uninformed glissade but in the second half the corps de ballet excelled further, dancing with great precision and synchronisation. Of particular note in the second half is the ensemble’s foutte sauté’s across the stage; an awe-inspiring feat which received a much deserved rousing of applause.
While the first act seems unnecessarily longer then the second, particularly due to the peasant pas de deux couple sequence, the height of skill executed remedied any such flaws and Giselle remains thoroughly enthralling from beginning to end.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
The Australian Ballet presents Giselle
Produced & staged by Maina Gielgud
Artistic Director: David McAllister
Executive Director: Libby Christie
Choreography: Marius Petipa after Jean Corelli
Music Director & Chief Conductor: Nicolette Fraillon with Orchestra Victoria
Music: Adolpe Adam
Set and costume design: Peter Farmer
Lighting design: Francis Croese
Arts Centre Melbourne, State Theatre
www.australianballet.com.au
13-23 March 2015
