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Poland Adolphe Adam, Giselle: Dancers of Polish National Ballet, Orchestra of Polish National Opera / Patrick Fournillier (conductor). Recorded (directed by Ewa Krasucka) at Teatr Wiekli – Polish National Opera, Warsaw, 28 and 30.11.2022 and obtainable on OperaImaginative and prescient and YouTube till 26.6.2023. (JPr)
Production:
Choreography – Marius Petipa (after Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot)
Director – Maina Gielgud
Sets and Costumes – Andrzej Kreutz Majewski
Set design adaptation – Małgorzata Szabłowska
Costume design adaptation – Katarzyna Rott
Lighting – Maciej Igielski
Cast:
Giselle – Chinara Alizade
Duke Albrecht – Vladimir Yaroshenko
Hilarion – Kristóf Szabó
Wilfried – Carlos Martín Pérez
Prince of Courtland – Wojciech Ślęzak
Bathilde – Irina Wasilewska
Berthe – Marta Fiedler
Peasant pas de deux – Mai Kageyama, Diogo de Oliveira
Myrtha – Natalia Pasiut
Willi I – Yume Okano
Willi II – Mai Kageyama
As the web site of Polish National Ballet explains: ‘The ballet has been shown in Warsaw many times, starting in 1848 … The last two productions (1968 and 1976) were designed by the late Andrzej Kreutz Majewski, whose sets and costumes excellently conveyed the romantic atmosphere of the French masterpiece. When mounting its new production of Giselle, the Polish National Ballet decided to revive the great set designer’s beautiful imaginative and prescient. Luckily, the artist left behind detailed set and costume blueprints. What is extra, the opera home’s storage rooms turned out to include parts of his unique surroundings. Based on the data, the opera home’s craftspeople recreated Kreutz Majewski’s designs after they’d been meticulously tailored by Małgorzata Szabłowska (units) and Katarzyna Rott (costumes). The manufacturing is, subsequently, additionally a tribute to the internationally famend Polish artist who served as the Teatr Wielki’s chief set designer between 1966 and 2005.’
That it’s, though ideas flip to opera and Richard Wagner writing these phrases to Franz Liszt in 1852: ‘Children! create something new! something new! and something new again!’ Of course, he was not anticipating the present obsession with Regietheater however urging a way of renewal. However, with classical ballet it’s – as a rule – a case of ‘back to the future’ and it may be perceived because the equal of a museum exhibit with its sacrosanct choreography, music, and – as for this Giselle – the units and costumes. Małgorzata Szabłowska, who tailored the units, revealed that there have been ‘A few extant photos and sketches’ to work with and the way ‘The backdrop for Act II is the original painted backdrop in the day, the only “living relic” as I jokingly call it’. It was fascinating to listen to how fashionable digital expertise has been used to recreate the previous. Katarzyna Rott, liable for reviving the colorful costumes, spoke of how she principally had solely a black and white movie and ‘a few lines, or doodles’ to work with. Interesting she mentioned how Kreutz Majewski has the ‘women look rather unreal with unnaturally large eyes’ as a homage to the ballet’s French origins.
The 1841 two-act Giselle was premièred in Paris and compared to a few of the different story ballets has larger psychological depths and explores myriad themes of social class, love, betrayal, despair, forgiveness and redemption. Act I is an idyllic imaginative and prescient of peasant life, it’s harvest time in a medieval Rhineland village; although as Giselle is pursued by Duke Albrecht of Silesia, I believe that’s the place Kreutz Majewski set his Giselle. The backdrop for Act I used to be a bit vague however appeared to indicate fortress ruins atop a mountain and with a stream and bridge down beneath; onstage there was – all very familiar-looking – a cottage on one aspect, what is likely to be a small chapel on the opposite, and a bench. The naïve nation lady, Giselle, believes she has received the guts of the noble-born Albrecht, who disguises himself and lives among the many villagers. Act II is impressed by a passage in Heinrich Heine’s On Germany, about Wilis or ‘young brides-to-be who die before their wedding day. The poor creatures cannot rest peacefully in their graves’ and rise at midnight and lure younger males to bop till they fall useless. For this act, every part is as conventional as you’d count on from Kreutz Majewski for Giselle’s grave in a moonlit forest glade.
Responsible for the staging was Maina Gielgud, who may be discovered described as ‘a British former ballet dancer and a veteran ballet administrator’ which undoubtedly summarises a stellar profession in too few phrases. She aptly spoke about how ballet is at its greatest when ‘You don’t discover when the dancers are miming, performing, dancing; it simply turns into one full factor which is partly to do with the music, partly to do with the choreography, how one subject goes into the opposite’. Overall, these have been the hallmarks of this high quality Giselle efficiency from Polish National Ballet.
Dancing means is just not sufficient by itself for Giselle: in Act I, a ballerina needs to be convincing as an harmless nation lady who believes she has discovered her real love after which descends into insanity at being betrayed, while in Act II she should appear otherworldly. Chinara Alizade, Moscow-trained and previously of the Bolshoi Ballet, proved to be the near-perfect mixture of dancer and actor the position calls for. Alizade’s Giselle had a lighter-than-air high quality and in Act I she was caught up in a primary love and exuded an affecting, childlike innocence and vulnerability, in addition to an alarmingly ardent devotion to bop. When the celebration of nobles arrives, all is revealed about Albrecht’s true id and Giselle learns he’s engaged to another person. Giselle is plunged into ‘madness’, dashing across the stage in absolute turmoil as a result of she is unable to understand how every part she thought was true now seems to be false. Alizade, who had introduced her character to vibrant life all through the act, now hurled herself by means of a tormented dance earlier than succumbing to a damaged coronary heart. In Act II Alizade’s dancing turned, if that have been potential, even lighter and extra ethereal: every part she did all through the ballet appeared completely pure and fluid with none indication that Alizade was excited about what her subsequent steps have been.
In Act II Giselle’s ghost twirls around the stage as if nonetheless propelled by her ardour to bop. She dances with Albrecht till daybreak, at which hour the Wilis lose their energy and he’s saved from loss of life. Giselle’s energy of true forgiveness and selfless efforts to guard Albrecht from loss of life frees her from the Wilis and permits her spirit to seek out true peace. As Albrecht, the willowy Polish-Russian Vladimir Yaroshenko was a reputable rake in Act I who’s equally plausible in his deep regret at how his deceit has prompted Giselle’s loss of life. Yaroshenko was a noble Albrecht and proved himself to be one other convincing actor: he was technically adept, had a refined line and his partnering was assured. But nearly as good as Yaroshenko’s Act II sorrowful jumps have been, when he needs to be dancing close to pure exhaustion – as his character and as a dancer – Yaroshenko seemed as if he may undergo it time and again.
To be sincere – however the high quality ensemble efficiency – there may be little alternative for anybody else to make an impression in Giselle. All credit score to every one of many artists of Polish National Ballet who underneath the gaze of display director Ewa Krasucka’s cameras – usually in excessive close-up – appeared ‘switched on’ and completely in character, whether or not as a peasant within the furthest background or as a Wili. Kristóf Szabó, Marta Fiedler and Irina Wasilewska caught the attention within the principally mime roles of gamekeeper Hilarion (who’s besotted with Giselle), Berthe (Giselle’s involved mom), and Bathilde (Albrecht’s haughty fiancée). Mai Kageyama and Diogo de Oliveira danced a captivating Act I peasant pas de deux. Natalia Pasiu’s haunting, imperious Queen of the Wilis made gentle of the technical difficulties behind her entrance steps and Yume Okano and Kageyama have been simply as spectacular as her attendants. The corps de ballet provided an distinctive show of synchronised otherworldly motion which was a spotlight of the second act. They have been all supported by some high quality sounding enjoying from the Orchestra of Polish National Opera underneath the supportive baton of their skilled music director, Patrick Fournillier.
Jim Pritchard