Pennsylvania Ballet To Present GISELLE

This spring Pennsylvania Ballet will premiere Artistic Director Angel Corella's re-staging of Giselle, ballet's hauntingly romantic classic. Presented by West Laurel Hill Cemetery, performances run March 7-17 at the Academy of Music.

"I'm delighted to re-stage Giselle for the first time. This timeless ballet showcases the power that ballet holds in telling deeply emotional stories," said Angel Corella. "I'm thrilled to bring this perfect combination of choreography, drama and music to life."

One of ballet's oldest and most endearing works, Giselle tells the story of a young peasant woman who dies of a broken heart after discovering her lover Albrecht is betrothed to another. Her love ultimately triumphs over vengeance as she saves her remorseful lover in the face of death by the Wilis, a group of supernatural brides-to-be that force men to dance to their death. Giselle features some of the most iconic ballet choreography and emotional ballet-pantomime, requiring an expertise of both theatrical acting and immaculate dance technique.

Giselle is also one of the most enduring and revered scores in the ballet repertoire. Music lovers can appreciate the composition of Adolphe Adam, one of the most prolific composers in Paris in the 19th century known for emphasizing the emotional connection between music and the stories on stage. Adam wrote many operas, ballets, and other works, including "La Cantique de Noël", also known as "Oh Holy Night."

"Giselle is the perfect embodiment of one of the most important themes of the early Romantic period: the protagonist dies of a broken heart at the end of Act I but lives on in a supernatural world in Act II, guaranteeing picturesque, down-to-earth music, followed by a contrasting, other-worldly sound," said Beatrice Jona Affron, Pennsylvania Ballet's Music Director and Conductor. "We are so fortunate that Adam's music is not only rich with beautiful themes, but also full of wonderful orchestral colors and textures. It is a joy to perform."

Giselle opens Thursday, March 7 at the Academy of Music at 240 South Broad St. Purchase tickets online at paballet.org or call Ticket Philadelphia at 215-893-1999. Ticket prices range from $35 to $154.

Performances at the Academy of Music:

• Thursday March 7 at 7:30 PM
• Friday March 8 at 7:30 PM
• Saturday March 9 at 2:00 PM
• Saturday March 9 at 8:00 PM
• Sunday March 10 at 2:00 PM
• Friday March 15 at 7:30 PM
• Saturday March 16 at 2:00 PM
• Saturday March 16 at 8:00 PM
• Sunday March 17 at 2:00 PM

Giselle Dinner at the Academy of Music Ballroom

(Thursday, March 7 starting at 5:00 PM)

Join us on opening night as we celebrate the haunting debut of Angel Corella's Giselle - a timeless tale about the powers of betrayal, love, death, and dance - with an elegant dinner under the Academy of Music ballroom chandeliers. Ticket includes dinner, performance entrance, recognition in the Giselle Playbill on opening night, and an exclusive post-performance toast and photos with Angel Corella and dancers on stage. For details visit http://paballet.org/events/giselle-dinner/.

Giselle Panel Discussion at the Academy of Vocal Arts

Do We Still Expect Women to Forgive?

Examining the story of Giselle in today's world

(Monday, February 25, 2019 starting at 6 p.m.)

Giselle is a story of heartbreak and redemption in which a humble woman is betrayed by the powerful man she trusted, only to ultimately forgive him. Sound familiar? Spend an evening discussing gender and class stereotypes in classic ballets and debate whether they're still relevant today. Meet and hear from the stars of Pennsylvania Ballet's Giselle, dancers Mayara Pineiro and Lillian DiPiazza and ballet master Charles Askegard with a special academic perspective from University of Pennsylvania professor Dr. Liliane Weissberg and Drexel University's Dr. Mirriam Giguere as moderator.

Learn more about ballet's haunting and romantic classic here.

Founded in 1963 by Balanchine student and protégée Barbara Weisberger, Pennsylvania Ballet is one of the nation's leading ballet companies. In its most diverse season yet, the Pennsylvania Ballet presents six programs featuring two full length classical ballets, Balanchine classics, contemporary works, world premieres, and the Philadelphia holiday tradition, George Balanchine's The Nutcracker. For more information, visit paballet.org, call 215.551.7000 or connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to get a behind the scenes looks at our dancers in the studio and onstage.

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