28 replies to this topic

[carbro]

Off the top of my head:  three ABT productions, Bolshoi from a '70s US tour, Royal, Cuba.  There must be more.  Damn!  Why did I toss my old playbills!   (I know, ran out of space.)

[nysusan]

I’m pretty sure I saw the Royal Ballet’s Giselle in the late 60s with Fonteyn & Nureyev, but my memory of that one is pretty fuzzy.  Ditto Fracci & Bruhn with ABT.

The first performances I remember clearly are of the old ABT Blair production with many different dancers - starting in the early 70’s with Fracci/Bortoluzzi, Gregory/Denard, Gregory/Nagy, D’Antuono/Kivitt, Makarova/Nagy, Makarova/Baryshnikov, Kirkland/Baryshnikov, and Tcherkassky/Nagy. I really loved that old production. I remember the first act scenery used to look kind of crowded at the State Theater, but it was such a clear, traditional production that really let the story come through. I'm so glad to have the Makarova/Baryshnikov/van Hamel tape! Then, fast forward to the 90’s. There was no staging credit for the production I saw with Ferri/Bocca or for the most recent ABT production with McKerrow & Belotserkovsky in 2002, but it seemed pretty similar to the Blair staging.  I really think ABT should include it in the rep at least every other year (maybe they could give R&J a rest to make room for it!)

I also saw the Bolshoi’s Lavrovsky production in 1975 with Vasiliev and a young Ludmilla Semenyaka (she was remarkable - right up there with Makarova & Kirkland as my favorite Giselles) and La Scala’s production in the early 80’s with Fracci & Nureyev.

I just saw 3 performances of MCB’s Giselle with Seay/Guerra, Catoya/Ilyin and Lopez/Gamero. I thought the production was a little awkward in it's integration of mime & dancing, and the orchestration could have been better but I still found it to be a very enjoyable production and a worthy effort for a company making it’s first foray into the classics.  In the second act, when all the wili’s come out at Myrtha’s command they are all wearing long veils that are magically whisked off & out to the wings simultaneously. I thought it was a very simple, yet effective moment.

[mohnurka]

I've also seen Giselle performed by the Latvian Ballet. The first time Giselle was danced by Z. Errs. It was her farewell performance.

[klingsor]

alexandra, on May 3 2001, 04:21 PM, said:

Berlin Ballet -- whose production?  Nureyev and....Evdokimova? 

When the Berlin Ballet danced at the NY State Theatre I'm pretty sure it was Panov's production. Considering how much dancing he added for himself as Hilarion in Act II it might have been called "Hilarion". Evdokimova danced with Imre Dozsa. Panov danced Albrecht with his wife, Galina.

Evdokimova danced Giselle the next week at the Met with the London Festival Ballet. She danced with Nureyev. May have been his production. Of course, there were some extra variations for Albrecht in Act I.  

Surprised no one has mentioned DTH's "Giselle" which took place in Louisiana. Why not? "Manon Lescaut" ends up in Louisiana, too.

[jorgen]

I have seen Natalia Makarova's version, which she staged for the Royal Swedish Ballet in 2000. The choreography is pretty traditional. The setting is late 19th century. The first act has a beautiful Monet inspired red poppy field backdrop, but having costumes from this period in this ballet looks a bit odd to me.

[socalgal]

My first Giselle was the one that had the most impact on me!  I was so young but remember this one performance so well, it was that exciting!  Ulanova dancing Giselle took my breath away.   Not many Giselle's have compared to my first viewing and I have seen many........

[Joseph]

I love Maina Gielguld's Giselle! Beautifully constructed and well produced! The orchestration of the music is gorgeous! If you are in the Houston area, I strongly recommend seeing it next June!!!

:rolleyes:

[Cygnet]

For me, the devil's in the details:  Principals, coaching, corps de ballet uniformity, beautiful costumes and scenery, close to complete step/mime text, and music values.  I've seen the Peter Wright, O. Vinogradov, San Francisco Ballet and NB of Cuba productions.

[Helene]

Giselle is not my favorite ballet; I like neither the score nor Albrecht.  But I have seen a handful along the way:

1971:  Had to learn I didn't like the score or Albrecht:  ABT, with Makarova, Nagy, and Gregory.  (I really liked Gregory.  I wanted to be Myrtha.)

1981:  Had to see Nureyev once:  La Scala Ballet, with Fracci, Nureyev, and Renata Calderini.

1985:  Couldn't pass up the Bayou production:  Dance Theater of Harlem, with Stephanie Dabney, Donald Williams, and Lorraine Graves.  I thought it was a convincing setting, and I really liked Graves.

1999:  Chance to see a production staged and coached by Alicia Alonso: Ballet Nacionale de Cuba:  Lorna Feijoo, Oscar Torrado, Laura Horrigon (I hope I didn't misspell her name.)  I fell in love with Feijoo.

2001:  ABT came to Seattle only with Giselle; take it or leave it:  Paloma Herrera, Ethan Stiefel, Stella Abrera.

[innopac]

I just watched the 4 youtube clips from a Giselle performed by Alessandra Ferri and Maximiliano Guerra (1998) and choreographed by Alicia Alonso.   Even watching it on youtube I found it incredibly moving.  It is, for me, a very human and natural production and very powerful dramatically.  Cubanmiamiboy commented that the Alonso Giselle is "for some critics, OVER ROMANTICIZED".  But with these two wonderful dancers I found it one of the most alive Giselles I have seen.  If only it were available on dvd....

[bart]

Helene, on Jul 13 2004, 02:14 AM, said:

2001:  ABT came to Seattle only with Giselle; take it or leave it:  Paloma Herrera, Ethan Stiefel, Stella Abrera.

I saw Herrera a bit before that, but I guess it didn't make much of an impression on me because I don't recall either the performance or the partner.  

For those with access to the latest Ballet Review (Summer 2008), there's a photo of Herrera's 2001 Giselle at Teatro Colon (Buenos Aires) ... with Damian Woetzel.  I'm having a hard time visualizing that particular pairing.  Did anyone see it?

[Rebeccadb]

My favourite so far was Derek Deane's production for English National Ballet a few years ago, primarily for an effectively gothic second act. I've also seen their current production, but I'm not sure who the producer was.

Sir Peter Wright's for the Royal Ballet.

David Bintley & Galina Samsova's for Birmingham Royal Ballet (again with a particularly good 2nd act).

Alicia Alonso's version for her Cuba company.

The Kirov's in a London visit a few years ago -again not sure whose version.


The interesting thing about British companies dancing this ballet is always act 2 where most of the designers & producers seem to have very definite ideas about where they want to set their white act. Bintley's set is a ruined abbey & very atmospheric. Deane's was still set in a forest, but the total effects were terrifying as he'd totally rethought the wilis make-up & posture (they closely resembled the original 1841 Paris lithographs) & it worked wonders, in fact its a shame they got rid of it.

The production I've seen the most is Peter Wright's for the RB which is perfectly pleasant, but occasionally act one can feel a bit too directed & bland as it needs a very confident performance from the Giselle to keep the dramatic momentum going.

[richard53dog]

I'm surprised, no one has mentioned Peter Martin's version at the NYCB yet as their favorite?????


Just kidding!!!!!! This doesn't exist.............yet    

[EricMontreal22]

Careful, we don't want to give anyone any ideas...