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This is one of The Royal Ballet's most cherished productions, faithful to the spirit of the 1841 original yet always fresh at each revival. This performance features Royal Ballet Principal Natalia Osipova in a breath-taking interpretation of the title role, more than ably accompanied by the world-renowned Carlos Acosta as Albrecht. Sir Peter Wright's production catches the atmosphere of this great Romantic ballet, especially in the perfection of its White Act, with ghostly maidens drifting through the forest in spectacular patterns – one of the most famous of any scenes for the corps de ballet.
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Giselle: Natalia Osipova
Albrecht: Carlos Acosta
Hilarion: Thomas Whitehead
Wilfred: Johannes Stepanek
Berthe: Deirdre Chapman
The Duke: Christopher Saunders
Bathilde: Christina Arestis
Myrtha: Hikaru Kobayashi
Moyna: Elizabeth Harrod
Zulme: Akane Takada
Artists of The Royal Ballet
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Conductor: Boris Gruzin
Concert Master: Peter Manning
Music: Adolphe Adam
Choreography: Marius Petipa, after Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot
Scenario: Théophile Gautier, after Heinrich Heine
Production and additional choreography: Peter Wright
Designs: John Macfarlane
Original lighting: Jennifer Tipton, recreated by David Finn
Staging: Christopher Carr
Plus: The Romance of Giselle; The corps de ballet in Giselle; Cast gallery
Picture: 16:9
Sound: PCM 2.0 / 5.1 (5.0 DTS)
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Format: Blu-ray
Duration: 113 mins
Year: 2014
"Right from the start, Osipova establishes her character as doomed, a young woman barely tethered to a life of ordinary happiness. Alone with Albrecht she's half-frozen, afraid of being overwhelmed by love; and even when she's able to release her feelings in dance, the speed and buoyancy of her execution read less as the technical marvels they are than as a rush of artless fevered emotion... The ending is as tragic as any Giselle I've seen." The Guardian
"Heroically partnered by Carlos Acosta as the duplicitous-then-remorseful Count Albrecht, Osipova in Act I floats on air and spins in reckless ecstasy, in an interpretation both technically and artistically supreme... Her ballon and elevation are unique: she appears virtually to be able to will herself into mid-air, to hang there unsupported. I have never seen a Giselle either so ethereal or, as the act progresses, so eloquently imploring or forgiving, every supernaturally weightless hop and flicker of those long arms magically moulded into an expression of love... you know you have been in the presence of greatness." The Telegraph
"Natalia Osipova’s Giselle is the most radical I’ve ever seen. Not because she takes any liberties with this Romantic classic – she dances with pure line, superb technique and feeling for the ballet’s style – but because her dramatic intelligence brings it to such fresh, burning life. The Royal Ballet looks energised by its new star, with a strong company performance around her. Acosta partners her with devoted care, and responds to her dazzling dancing with renewed sharpness and attack of his own." The Independent
Awards
National Dance Awards 2015: Winner - Best Female Dancer (Natalia Osipova)
