The Cape Town City Ballet continues to build on its collaboration, fostered over several decades, with companies in the UK, Europe and the USA, with the appearance of one of the world's foremost dance partnerships, this time proudly featuring Hikaru Kobayashi and Federico Bonelli from the English Royal Ballet, at two performances, on September 25 at 7.30pm and on Sunday, September 27 at 3pm - Bonelli was recently seen on the big screen in the screening of a live performance of the Royal Ballet's Romeo and Juliet.
Giselle is a ballet in two acts with a libretto by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Theophile Gautier. The music was composed by Adophe Adam, and the original choreography was created by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot. The librettist took his inspiration from a poem by Heinrich Heine, and the ballet tells the story of a peasant girl named Giselle, whose ghost, after her premature death, protects her lover from the vengeance of a group of evil spirits called Wilis, female spirits who, jilted before their wedding day, rise from their graves at night and seek revenge upon men by dancing them to death.
The ballet was first presented at the Paris Opéra's Salle le Peletier on 28 June 1841 with Carlotta Grisi as Giselle, Lucien Petipa as Albrecht, and Jean Coralli as Hilarion. In South Africa, the first performance of the ballet was presented in 1947 by the South African National Ballet, previously Cecily Robinson's Ballet Club, with Alexis Rassine & Olive James in the leading roles.
In 1949, Anton Dolin produced the ballet for the South African National Ballet, who joined forces with the UCT Ballet Co for the occasion. Dolin partnered Alicia Markova, and they danced in Cape Town's Alhambra Theatre. It was again produced by the UCT Ballet Co in 1955, featuring Alexis Rassine and Nadia Nerina.
The first time the ballet was danced by the newly-formed CAPAB Ballet Co was in 1965. David Poole created his version of the ballet in 1972 in the Nico Malan Opera House, when the leading roles were danced by Phyllis Spira and Eduard Greyling, with Elizabeth Triegaardt as Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis, and John Simons in the pivotal role of Hilarion - a version that was reproduced many times for the CAPAB Ballet Co.
The Cape Town City Ballet has performed Poole's version eight times since 1997, produced by Elizabeth Triegaardt, by kind permission of Owen Murray, who himself danced both Albrecht and Hilarion during his long career with the CAPAB Ballet Co.
In this production of Giselle you can also see Cape Town's very own Laura Bosenberg with Thomas Thorne (Sat 26 Sept at 7pm, September 30 at 7.30pm and October 3 at 2pm). Angela Hansford with Daniel Szybkowski dances on September 26 at 2pm and October 3 at 7.30pm), and Claire Spector and Jess Milligan will debut in the roles of Giselle and Albrecht on October 2 at 7.30pm and on October 4 at 3pm.
The role of Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis, is shared by Kim Vieira, Rosamund Ford and Jane Fidler, while Hilarion is interpreted by Xola Putye, Ivan Boonzaaier and Conrad Nusser. Appearing at every performance in the role of Albrecht's betrothed, Bathilde, will be the former CAPAB Ballet Co ballerina, Janet Lindup, who danced the title role in the ballet many times in the 1980's and 1990's.
Johnny Bovang plays the part of the Duke in this production. He was, for many years, South Africa's leading male dancer, partnering ballerinas in Cape Town and Johannesburg, and recently he and Janet danced with great distinction in the CTCB's 80th Birthday Gala. Leanne Voysey, also a former ballerina with the Company, will do the role of Giselle's mother at all performances.
The art of dance is musical, visual, technical and interpretive, and these qualities come strongly to the fore when dancing a role such as Giselle, Albrecht, or any of the supporting roles in the ballet. Visually, audiences can look forward to the original costume designs by Peter Cazalet, produced 40 years ago, some of which are still in good shape, while others have been faithfully reconstructed.
Performances are in the Artscape Opera House from 25 Sept - 4 October, 2015. Ticket prices range between R100-R300. Book at Computicket or Dial-A-Seat: 021-4217695
Giselle is a firm audience favourite so make sure to book your seats to avoid disappointment.
