The Paris Opera Ballet brought to New York a program and style that clearly said, "This is who we are." Compare that to the recent visit by the Australian Ballet which brought a program and style that mostly said, "This is sort of how we hope to be viewed." Compare that to the non-identity of American Ballet Theatre which currently cries out, "Whatever you're buyin', we're sellin'."
The moment the Paris Opera Ballet opened its first performance, it was evident just how serious the institution is about fashioning its art in the proper form. In this mix & match world where plaids, stripes, and polka dots can all randomly appear on the same sleeve, the Paris Opera Ballet has said, "Hold on a minute – not here. Are those seams straight? Are those stitches perfectly even? Is the fabric high quality? Does it fit properly?" Rarely have we in New York seen a ballet company that is so happily obsessed with the quality of what goes into its artistic product. The corps de ballet alone has spoiled Haglund for all other companies for eternity. Going forward, every time he sees a hometown dancer's feet strapped into a pair of Gaynor Minden clogs or a dancer who cowardly refuses to fully break the shanks sufficiently below the heel, he's going to remember the beautiful Paris Opera Ballet dancers whose perfectly arched feet were as identical as their Wili costumes. At the Paris Opera Ballet, there is a singular shape of tendu, one version of sous-sus in fifth, one courageous commitment to the French form.
For the first three performances of Giselle – three more to come next week – the Paris Opera Ballet presented Giselle as many here had not seen before. Some of the artistic choices within the production may have seemed at odds with what we have been accustomed to seeing, but the choices were not faults. They were artistic choices. It was the choice of the Paris Opera Ballet for Giselle's jumps to remain modest – more joyous than athletic. It was the choice of the Paris Opera Ballet to retain modesty in the speed of the chaine turns. Even in Giselle's solo in Act I, the rond de jambe from side to front that we are accustomed to seeing begin with a big battement was danced by the French as a very low rond de jambe.
Much of the New York audience has been treated of late to the McDonald's version of Giselle with its grandiose vaulting, and now the audience expects and wants the high fat content at every meal. Well, the reality is that McDonald's french fries are not really French food. The fact that this production of Giselle may not have been what one was accustomed to doesn't mean that it was bad or wrong. It was different. Maybe New York should diet away some of the Bolshoi fat so that it can appreciate the leanness of the French.
The Act I costumes were exquisitely beautiful and unfussy. Soft color palettes of pale pink and slightly stronger yellows with blue accents were used for the peasants and friends. Giselle's Act I dress was traditional blue. On the opening night, the naturally glamorous Aurelie Dupont wore her sleeves immodestly pulled down to completely bare her beautiful shoulders. In the second performance, Isabelle Ciaravola's sleeves were technically off the shoulders but not by very much. In the third performance, Clairemarie Osta's sleeves were modestly in place at all times. This might be used to characterize the performances themselves. Ms. Dupont was elegant and beautiful almost to a fault. Much of the time during Act I she seemed more royalty than peasant which may explain why her handsome Albrecht, Mathieu Ganio, was so attracted to her in the first place. Ms. Ciaravola's Giselle in Act I was more youthful, even playful to Karl Paquette's somewhat serious Albrecht. Ms. Osta's Giselle in Act I was fragile, innocent, delicate, modest while her Albrecht (and husband in real life) Nicolas Le Riche was a teaser who knew he could win the game at any time he wanted.
When Giselle initially bumped into Albrecht and then turned her back and slowly walked away, in two of the performances Albrecht walked up closely behind her and nudged Giselle's shoulder with his own as though he were initiating his play with her. It was an example of subtle artistry that made a big impact.
Another artistic choice which Haglund loved was when everyone's motion froze for several notes of music while Giselle contemplated and then came to the realization that what Hilarion had told her about Albrecht was true. You need only recall an instance in your own life when the trauma was so great that time stood still in order to understand what Giselle experienced in those moments.
In the three Giselle performances so far, the Act I scene where Giselle has a breakdown and dies of a broken heart has been played subtly and without histrionics. Clairemarie Osta's character mentally and physically crumbled before our eyes, breaking our hearts along the way. She didn't have to tear her hair out or run around with her mouth hanging open like Osipova does in order to convey the tragedy. Ms. Ciaravola's mad scene was slightly less touching while Ms. Dupont's was less than convincing. It's the beauty factor.
Act I was packed with more dancing by the corps de ballet than other versions with which we might be more familiar. When the ballet opened, the peasants didn't come strolling or running on to the stage; they came dancing. Duos and trios danced meaningful phrases of choreography that conveyed the spirit of the villagers through the formidable technique of the corps dancers. They also had significant and very fast ensemble work within the Peasant PdD which we don't generally see in versions of Giselle in New York. It enhanced the Act I significantly.
The Peasant PdD was the "advanced-professional" version with variations that were nearly as technically demanding as those of the principals: double tours with one leg in passe that immediately segued into a straight leg grand jete – done in a circle. Try it. Some of the men in the Peasant PdD fared better than others with this. The young Coryphée Axel Ibot, dark and handsome with a winning smile, eagerly grabbed onto the opportunity. He'll definitely be remembered the next time the Paris Opera Ballet comes to town. All three women in the Peasant PdD danced capably enough to step into the role of Giselle. The emboite to the knee/pirouette phrases that can be troublesome in the Peasant PdD were error free and embellished by beginning each phrase with an arabesque plie with the momentum moving backward.
Act II opened in the dead of night with five shadowy guys with lanterns engaged in a game of dice at the edge of the cemetery road across from Giselle's quite elaborate grave stone and cross. It was so great to see this theatrical moment which created an almost Dickensian atmosphere where one could clearly hear the dice being shaken and rolled.
Another lovely moment was when Albrecht initially arrived, he wrapped his cape around the foot of the cross as though he might wrap it around Giselle to keep her warm in the cold night.
Whereas so many traditional stagings of Giselle use the Wilis mostly in lines and in circles, this staging utilizes Romantic groupings of four or five Wilis around the stage throughout the act as well as the lines and circles. When Giselle first arrived, she didn't just come walking out from the wings as in several other productions. The Wilis were closely hunched over her grave and they then peeled away to reveal that she had risen up from that grave and was standing in front of her cross.
The PdD and variations were all very traditional and beautifully danced by all three couples. All three Albrechts lifted their Giselles over their heads with no trouble whatsoever. Why do the American principals who dance Albrecht have such trouble with this? Clairemarie Osta's variation seemed the most ghost-like of the three although all performed remarkably. Perhaps it was because her movements – entrechats quatre, sautes passe, bourrees – were not only very fast but also were very compacted. Aurelie Dupont's Act II Giselle was far superior to her Act I. Both she and Isabelle Ciaravola seemed better able to embody the spirit of Giselle rather than play her living character.
The Myrtha character was the greatest departure from what we usually see. The three dancers who performed the role did so nearly identically so one must assume that the character's rather slow bourrees and less than maximum height on many jumps were artistic choices. It was pretty thrilling, however, to see Marie Agnes Gillot suddenly rocket through the trees into the middle of the stage for her final variation.
Albrecht's Act II variations were traditional. On opening night we were treated to some squeaky-clean entrechat sixes from the most Romantic and physically blessed of the three Albrechts, Mathieu Ganio. At the second performance, Karl Paquette was well past 32 entrechat sixes before he finally collapsed from exhaustion. At the third performance, Nicolas Le Riche – 40 years young – wisely substituted some fantastic jetes down the diagonal while pleading for his life in front of Myrtha. He then topped those off with eight entrechat sixes instead of continuing with the more dramatic jetes. That was perhaps the only poor artistic choice of the evening because those entrechats six seemed obligatory.
Another artistic choice which was interesting to see came at the very end after Giselle had bourreed off. Albrecht lay down at the foot of the grave in the fog as if asleep and then suddenly woke up as if this had all been his dream. Nicolas Le Riche ended by unwrapping his cape from around the foot of the cross after which he walked to the front of the stage, peered out for a moment, turned, and walked back upstage with his head hung in sorrow. All three Albrechts were quite fine, but Le Riche touched the heart just a little bit more – as did his Giselle, Clairemarie Osta.
The orchestra sounded thin and chamber-like at times. The cellist was awful the first night, bad the second performance, and not so great at the third one.
The stage was slightly cramped. The scenery is by design much more into the middle of the stage than, say, ABT's is on the Met stage. We could actually see inside the house on the right. Also Giselle's grave and cross were more out from the wing which created some traffic issues for the Wilis. Their back line had to dance behind the cross, and when it came time for Hilarion to be tossed into the drink, he had to step carefully around the cross in order to get out.
Those Wilis were the most beautiful Haglund has ever seen. They are now the gold standard, and even though the principals were incredibly fine, the Wilis brought the production to its highest level and therefore are awarded the coveted Pump Bump Award, aptly entitled The Pain of Love:
30 responses to “Paris Opera Ballet – Giselle”
Haglund, you need to replace alistair McCauley at the New York Times. We came from austin to see both Giselle and the 20th c. Masters, and we wholeheartedly agree with your review of the latter. We saw Giselle on the 13th and felt that Aurelie didn’t convince us in act one but completely redeemed herself in act 2 ( exquisite) and we’re curious to hear what you thought. Unlike alistair, we thought the first act set was lovely and that as a whole it’s a beautifully conceived production. We’re so happy to have made the trip…if you missed aurelie in bolero, that’s a shame. We’ll watch for your Giselle review with baited breath!! Thanks for your wonderful insights.
Ellen and Alexandra
Haglund, you need to replace alistair McCauley at the New York Times. We came from austin to see both Giselle and the 20th c. Masters, and we wholeheartedly agree with your review of the latter. We saw Giselle on the 13th and felt that Aurelie didn’t convince us in act one but completely redeemed herself in act 2 ( exquisite) and we’re curious to hear what you thought. Unlike alistair, we thought the first act set was lovely and that as a whole it’s a beautifully conceived production. We’re so happy to have made the trip…if you missed aurelie in bolero, that’s a shame. We’ll watch for your Giselle review with baited breath!! Thanks for your wonderful insights.
Ellen and Alexandra
Sorry it took so long to get this posted. It’s been a very busy several days.
Macaulay hates writing about classical ballet now that everyone has found out that he does not know what he’s talking about. He also hates and is threatened by beautiful women. So put the ballet Giselle and the beautiful women of the POB together, and why would anyone expect him to like it?
Macaulay thinks that he’s going to redeem himself by writing ad nauseum about the Pina Bausch program in which he will portray himself as an expert. His review will probably start with, “Finally …” or some other such nonsense.
Ellen, I’m so glad that you were able to make it up here from Austin and I do apologize or the weather.
Sorry it took so long to get this posted. It’s been a very busy several days.
Macaulay hates writing about classical ballet now that everyone has found out that he does not know what he’s talking about. He also hates and is threatened by beautiful women. So put the ballet Giselle and the beautiful women of the POB together, and why would anyone expect him to like it?
Macaulay thinks that he’s going to redeem himself by writing ad nauseum about the Pina Bausch program in which he will portray himself as an expert. His review will probably start with, “Finally …” or some other such nonsense.
Ellen, I’m so glad that you were able to make it up here from Austin and I do apologize or the weather.
Thanks for the explanation re: McCauley. We love your Giselle review and agree with everything you said about the performance we saw (Dupont/Ganio). What a privilege to have seen these performances! Oh, and as for the weather, remember that we live in hell…the weather here has been glorious for us! :).
Keep up the good work, and please say yes if the nyt calls…
Ellen
Thanks for the explanation re: McCauley. We love your Giselle review and agree with everything you said about the performance we saw (Dupont/Ganio). What a privilege to have seen these performances! Oh, and as for the weather, remember that we live in hell…the weather here has been glorious for us! :).
Keep up the good work, and please say yes if the nyt calls…
Ellen
I hope you get to see Dorothée Gilbert.
I hope you get to see Dorothée Gilbert.
Yes, dc, I will see Dorothée Gilbert as I’m seeing ALL of the performances of Giselle!!
Yes, dc, I will see Dorothée Gilbert as I’m seeing ALL of the performances of Giselle!!
Oh, Haglund, yours is the review I’ve been waiting for, certainly not the so-called review that appeared in today’s New York Times, based on a single performance and wholly without merit. We are all waiting for Macaulay to retire so that you can take the helm. Perhaps we should get those wilis after him–after all, they take no prisoners!
I, too, was fortunate to be able to attend all three performances, each of which had its gems. Aurelie Dupont, too sophisticated in appearance to be believable as a naive peasant girl, astonished in Act II as a fully realized novice wili, ghostlike and weightless. Having seen Marie-Agnes Gillot tear fearlessly into her jumps four years ago, I knew I couldn’t die happy until I’d seen her do that once again. Thankfully, she delivered. And how fortunate we are to be able to see Clairemarie Osta, who must surely be one of the great Giselles of all time, in her penultimate (and I understand next week, ultimate) performance. It was only she who brought tears to my eyes at the end of Act I, assisted in no small part by the depth of grief shown by Christophe Duquenne as Hilarion.
Speaking of the men, I found the principal and soloist men less satisfying than the women. Perhaps, just as the Paris corps de ballet has now set the gold standard for evermore, so the “line” of David Hallberg has set the gold standard for me when it comes to male dancers. This is not a good thing, I realize, it is simply the case.
I LOVE the reduction of mime in favor of dance in Act I. With ABT’s production, I get really bored for long stretches of Act I; in this version I wasn’t bored for a minute. We don’t really need borzois to have a creditable Giselle.
The only things I would wish for are: a less prominent cross for Giselle, as this one seemed enormous for a simple peasant girl; and swifter bourrees for the opening Myrtha sequence. I don’t think that swifter bourrees would be considered “slumming,” but perhaps POB would.
Merci beaucoup, Paris, and thank you, Haglund!
Oh, Haglund, yours is the review I’ve been waiting for, certainly not the so-called review that appeared in today’s New York Times, based on a single performance and wholly without merit. We are all waiting for Macaulay to retire so that you can take the helm. Perhaps we should get those wilis after him–after all, they take no prisoners!
I, too, was fortunate to be able to attend all three performances, each of which had its gems. Aurelie Dupont, too sophisticated in appearance to be believable as a naive peasant girl, astonished in Act II as a fully realized novice wili, ghostlike and weightless. Having seen Marie-Agnes Gillot tear fearlessly into her jumps four years ago, I knew I couldn’t die happy until I’d seen her do that once again. Thankfully, she delivered. And how fortunate we are to be able to see Clairemarie Osta, who must surely be one of the great Giselles of all time, in her penultimate (and I understand next week, ultimate) performance. It was only she who brought tears to my eyes at the end of Act I, assisted in no small part by the depth of grief shown by Christophe Duquenne as Hilarion.
Speaking of the men, I found the principal and soloist men less satisfying than the women. Perhaps, just as the Paris corps de ballet has now set the gold standard for evermore, so the “line” of David Hallberg has set the gold standard for me when it comes to male dancers. This is not a good thing, I realize, it is simply the case.
I LOVE the reduction of mime in favor of dance in Act I. With ABT’s production, I get really bored for long stretches of Act I; in this version I wasn’t bored for a minute. We don’t really need borzois to have a creditable Giselle.
The only things I would wish for are: a less prominent cross for Giselle, as this one seemed enormous for a simple peasant girl; and swifter bourrees for the opening Myrtha sequence. I don’t think that swifter bourrees would be considered “slumming,” but perhaps POB would.
Merci beaucoup, Paris, and thank you, Haglund!
Hi Angelica!
I agree that the large size of that cross was hard to understand especially when the sizes of the two houses in Act 1 seemed unusually small. It did make me wonder whether in this Giselle maybe Albrecht pitched in a little extra money for the elaborate grave marker out of guilt. Or maybe Giselle was simply the favorite peasant girl of the village and so she got special treatment.
I couldn’t quite understand why Myrtha’s bourrees were not a little peppier, but in looking back it seems that they were deliberately ON the musical counts. Maybe that was the original design, but doing them faster would have created a more spirit-like image. Perhaps someone in France who is reading this will offer some thoughts.
Hi Angelica!
I agree that the large size of that cross was hard to understand especially when the sizes of the two houses in Act 1 seemed unusually small. It did make me wonder whether in this Giselle maybe Albrecht pitched in a little extra money for the elaborate grave marker out of guilt. Or maybe Giselle was simply the favorite peasant girl of the village and so she got special treatment.
I couldn’t quite understand why Myrtha’s bourrees were not a little peppier, but in looking back it seems that they were deliberately ON the musical counts. Maybe that was the original design, but doing them faster would have created a more spirit-like image. Perhaps someone in France who is reading this will offer some thoughts.
Haglund, one more question! Was aurelie having trouble getting her hair loose on opening night, or did she intend for it to remain tied in sort of a braid? It seemed like she spent some time trying to loosen it…did the others pull theirs out completely?
See, we all agree that you should take McCauley’s place!! Sic ’em, Wilis!
By the way, does the NYC ballet public pay any attention to what that imbecile writes?
Haglund, one more question! Was aurelie having trouble getting her hair loose on opening night, or did she intend for it to remain tied in sort of a braid? It seemed like she spent some time trying to loosen it…did the others pull theirs out completely?
See, we all agree that you should take McCauley’s place!! Sic ’em, Wilis!
By the way, does the NYC ballet public pay any attention to what that imbecile writes?
Hi Ellen. I think you may be right about Aurelie having some trouble getting her hair loose. I get to see her again tomorrow night and will watch more closely.
Re: Macaulay. I think most people who pay attention to him do so in order to immediately try to mitigate the harm that he regularly does to ballet and its performers. He is intent on killing people’s interest in classical ballet and steering them toward all the modern crap which he thinks he understands better. Lordy.
Hi Ellen. I think you may be right about Aurelie having some trouble getting her hair loose. I get to see her again tomorrow night and will watch more closely.
Re: Macaulay. I think most people who pay attention to him do so in order to immediately try to mitigate the harm that he regularly does to ballet and its performers. He is intent on killing people’s interest in classical ballet and steering them toward all the modern crap which he thinks he understands better. Lordy.
Haglund,
Wonderful review. I also attended the Dupont and Ciaravola Giselles, and I will be attending Gilbert’s on Wednesday. I have to say I greatly enjoyed Dupont in both acts, but now I must agree with your reservations about her Act I. I thoroughly enjoyed watching her dance in Act I, she has wonderful technical ability and is a subtle actress, but she was more of a sophisticated member of soceity than a peasant. Osta I think had a slightly better grasp of the naivety within Giselle than Dupont, but she, too, seemed more comfortable conveying the spirit of Giselle in the second act. Ganio as Abrecht and Gillot as Willi Queen have predictably been standouts of the Giselle run. I can’t wait to see Gilbert on Wednesday, as videos of her have really impressed me.
Haglund,
Wonderful review. I also attended the Dupont and Ciaravola Giselles, and I will be attending Gilbert’s on Wednesday. I have to say I greatly enjoyed Dupont in both acts, but now I must agree with your reservations about her Act I. I thoroughly enjoyed watching her dance in Act I, she has wonderful technical ability and is a subtle actress, but she was more of a sophisticated member of soceity than a peasant. Osta I think had a slightly better grasp of the naivety within Giselle than Dupont, but she, too, seemed more comfortable conveying the spirit of Giselle in the second act. Ganio as Abrecht and Gillot as Willi Queen have predictably been standouts of the Giselle run. I can’t wait to see Gilbert on Wednesday, as videos of her have really impressed me.
Hi Matthew.
I’m looking forward to seeing Gilbert, too, and Clairemarie Osta’s final performance as well. It’s my understanding that this will be THE final performance for Osta who had her official Farewell Performance in Paris last May. It would be nice to see a few flowers for her. I’d toss some, but from my $29 seat they’d land in someone’s lap in the orchestra section.
Hi Matthew.
I’m looking forward to seeing Gilbert, too, and Clairemarie Osta’s final performance as well. It’s my understanding that this will be THE final performance for Osta who had her official Farewell Performance in Paris last May. It would be nice to see a few flowers for her. I’d toss some, but from my $29 seat they’d land in someone’s lap in the orchestra section.
I was told that the production in Paris uses a trap so that Giselle sinks back into the grave at the end. Maybe that has to do with the size of the cross. Two of the three shows I saw in DC had perfect misting effects, the depth almost to Myrtha’s hemline. The slow bourees truly made her appear to float on the mist; coming downstage was very creepy. There was a particularly beautiful moment-twice, so I doubt it was serendipity- when Wilfrid swept Albrecht’s cape and the mist rose in columns suggesting the appearance of the Wilis’ bodies. Really fantastic stage work.
The production fit beautifully on the KenCen stage. It was the first time I remember the full height of the proscenium being used, no teaser used.
I was told that the production in Paris uses a trap so that Giselle sinks back into the grave at the end. Maybe that has to do with the size of the cross. Two of the three shows I saw in DC had perfect misting effects, the depth almost to Myrtha’s hemline. The slow bourees truly made her appear to float on the mist; coming downstage was very creepy. There was a particularly beautiful moment-twice, so I doubt it was serendipity- when Wilfrid swept Albrecht’s cape and the mist rose in columns suggesting the appearance of the Wilis’ bodies. Really fantastic stage work.
The production fit beautifully on the KenCen stage. It was the first time I remember the full height of the proscenium being used, no teaser used.
Hi dc. Oh, that sounds beautiful. So far, the mist hasn’t been up to what you described but it’s been beautiful nevertheless. When Albrecht circled the stage with his cape trailing him, the mist parted wonderfully. I’ll look more closely this week!
Hi dc. Oh, that sounds beautiful. So far, the mist hasn’t been up to what you described but it’s been beautiful nevertheless. When Albrecht circled the stage with his cape trailing him, the mist parted wonderfully. I’ll look more closely this week!
what about dorthee gilbert last night wednesday in nyc as giselle
what about dorthee gilbert last night wednesday in nyc as giselle
Hi Carol! Yes, I was at Dorothée’s performance and will write about it after tonight’s Giselle finale. She was exquisite.
So many Giselles; so little time.
Thanks for reading H.H.
Hi Carol! Yes, I was at Dorothée’s performance and will write about it after tonight’s Giselle finale. She was exquisite.
So many Giselles; so little time.
Thanks for reading H.H.