GISELLE Ballet Opens at Artscape in Cape Town Next Month

The enchanting romantic ballet, GISELLE, opens at Artscape in Cape Town on Friday 25 September, featuring star dancers from the Royal Ballet in London and Cape Town City Ballet.

The captivating tale of a young peasant girl who dies of a broken heart, and then returns as a supernatural spirit to protect her lover, has been thrilling audiences for over 170 years. Considered as one of the ultimate romantic ballets, GISELLE was an instant success with the public when first premiered in Paris in 1841 and it has remained an all-time favourite ever since.

With this season of Giselle, the Cape Town City Ballet continues to build on its collaboration, fostered over several decades, with companies in the UK, Europe and the USA. One of the world's foremost dance partnerships, Hikaru Kobayashi and Federico Bonelli from the Royal Ballet in London, will be seen in the lead roles of Giselle and Albrecht at two performances, on 25 September at 19:30 and 27 September at 15:00. The roles will be played at other performances by: Angela Hansford and Daniel Szybkowski (26 September at 14:00, with recorded music, and 3 October at 19:30); Laura Bösenberg and Thomas Thorne (26 September at 19:00, with recorded music, 30 September at 19:30 and 3 October at 15:00; and Claire Spector and Jesse Milligan, who will both debut in these roles in this production (3 October at 19:30 and 4 October at 15:00).

The role of Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis, is shared by Kim Vieira, Rosamund Ford and Jane Fidler, while Hilarion will be danced by Xola Putye, Ivan Boonzaaier and Conrad Nusser. The role of Bathilde will be portrayed by Janet Lindup, the role of Giselle's mother by Leanne Voysey and that of the Duke by Johnny Bovang.

The exquisite production is produced by Elizabeth Triegaardt and the original costume design is by Peter Cazalet. All but two of the performances will be accompanied by the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Graham Scott.

GISELLE 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 and Olive James in the leading roles. In 1949, Anton Dolin produced the ballet for the South African National Ballet, who joined forces with the University of Cape Town Ballet Comany for the occasion. Dolin partnered Alicia Markova, and they danced in Cape Town's Alhambra Theatre. It was again produced by the UCT Ballet in 1955, featuring Alexis Rassine and Nadia Nerina. The first time the ballet was danced by the newly-formed CAPAB Ballet Company 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 under their banner. 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. GISELLE is an audience favourite and many will remember the other partnerships of Olga Twell with Keith Maidwell, Carol Kinsey with Johan Jooste, Nicolette Loxton with Philip Boyd, Tracy Li with Daniel Rajna, Marianne Bauer with Johnny Bovang and Keith Mackintosh with both Linda Smit and Clare Shepherd-Wilson.

Cape Town City Ballet is proud to present this new mounting of GISELLE at Artscape in Cape Town from 25 September to 4 October. Tickets from R100-R300 are available through Computicket or at Artscape Dial-A-Seat on 021 421 7695.

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