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The Art Of Tragedy: Giselle

March 25, 2015 by 4dancers

Rachel Malehorn, Davit Hovhannisyan, Luz San Miguel
Davit Hovhannisyan and Luz San Miguel in the studio working on Michael Pink’s Giselle. Photo by Rachel Malehorn

by Rachel Malehorn

Dancers who join classical ballet companies will be a part of the centuries-old tradition of the full-length ballet. These evening-long works not only showcase the brilliance of classical ballet technique, but also set this dancing in a dramatic context with the goal of telling a story. Even an audience member who has no background or understanding of dance can get lost in these stories, and can leave the theater transformed. Dancers spend years of their lives endeavoring to perfect their technique, but sometimes their power as actors and actresses can be overlooked or de-emphasized. The stories our ballets tell are magical, fantastic, romantic, tragic, and sometimes difficult. Throughout my career as a dancer, I have come to love and look forward to the dual opportunity to dance with accuracy—and also to convey the drama of these stories.

As Milwaukee Ballet prepares for its upcoming performances, I have been meditating on two important themes: the process wherein dancers and choreographers communicate the story of a full-length ballet, and the importance of telling these stories—even if they don’t always have happy endings. Romeo & Juliet, Manon, Onegin, Madame Butterfly, and even La Bayadere are classic tales of thwarted love, in which the tragic heroines suffer death or disaster as the price of their love.

But perhaps the epitome of the tragic ballet is Giselle, created in Paris at the peak of Romanticism. In this story, Giselle, a peasant girl, is wooed by Albrecht, an aristocrat in peasant disguise, but is driven to madness and death by the discovery that Albrecht is already engaged to be married to Bathilde, also an aristocrat. When Albrecht visits Giselle’s grave to beg for forgiveness, the Wilis – ghosts of other girls who have died of broken hearts – compel Albrecht to dance himself to death, but Giselle (seemingly inexplicably, and most definitely tragically) saves Albrecht from death and forgives him for his betrayal. At its core, Giselle is chilling, heartbreaking, and achingly beautiful.

Michael Pink’s Giselle [Read more…]

Filed Under: Editorial Tagged With: albrecht, Ballet, Bathilde, Christopher Gable, Classical Ballet Companies, Davit Hovhannisyan, giselle, Lex Brotherson, Luz San Miguel, Madame Butterfly, manon, Michael Pink, milwaukee ballet, onegin, Rachel Malehorn, romeo & Juliet, Tragedy, Wilis

The Royal Ballet’s Manon

October 14, 2014 by 4dancers

14FEMK233_14_15_ROH_Manon_900x900[1]

Manon was choreographed by Kenneth MacMillan in March of 1974, and it was danced by Antoinette Sibley and Anthony Dowell. The ballet was well-received by audiences, and it became a staple in The Royal Ballet’s repertoire.

On October 16th, viewers all across America will have the chance to see it performed in theaters throughout the nation as part of The Royal Opera House’s Live Cinema Season. This version will feature Marianela Nuñez and Federico Bonelli in the lead roles.

the royal ballet's manon
©ROH 2014. Photographed by Alice Pennefather, dancers Federico Bonelli as Des Grieux and Marianela Núñez as Manon in Manon

The tragic story of Manon is quite different from the “fairy tale” ballet story where the woman is a pure, princess-like creature to be revered and adored. In fact, the role of Manon is more of an opportunistic one than a sweetheart–though she does fall in love. However, the young lady also lusts after luxury and wealth–and the pull of both prove to be quite strong…

manon by royal ballet
©ROH 2014. Photographed by Alice Pennefather, dancers Christopher Saunders as Monsieur GM, Marianela Núñez as Manon and Ricardo Cervera as Lescaut in Manon

This ballet has both grandeur (scenes for the entire company in Paris and New Orleans) and an achingly beautiful pas de deux that takes place between Manon and her lover Des Grieux. We won’t spoil the ending here, but we will note that there’s a lot of depth to this emotional ballet, and it’s a fantastic one to see performed by such amazing dancers!

Find out where you can go see this ballet at a theater near you.

the royal ballet
©ROH 2014. Photographed by Alice Pennefather, dancers Federico Bonelli as Des Grieux and Marianela Núñez as Manon in Manon

Take a look at the clip below to see more about The Royal Ballet’s Live Cinema Season offerings for 2014/15. They’ll be dancing Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Swan Lake, La Fille mal gardee and The Winter’s Tale – all live on the big screen!

Stay tuned for more information on these performances on 4dancers and Dance Advantage!

Disclosure – 4dancers receives compensation for promoting this series

Filed Under: Editorial Tagged With: anthony dowell, antoinette sibley, des grieux, kenneth macmillan, live cinema season, manon, the royal ballet

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