The Christmas Theater in Herodion!
The the ballet and orchestra of the Odessa National Opera, with its full cast of 150 performers, as part of its Europe-wide tour that began in July in the Netherlands, is coming to Athens to present its masterpiece Adolphe Adam, «Giselle».
Η «Giselle» It is one of the most popular works, featuring emotional fluctuations, perfectly choreographed sequences, and high technical demands on the dancers. It is also, perhaps, the sole achievement of the Romantic period that has survived to this day without losing any of its power. It is, after all, no coincidence that it is one of the most beloved ballets in the history of dance.
The ballet *Giselle*, set to music by Adolphe Adam, is every dancer’s favorite work, which celebrates pure love and mourns hearts lost to despair in love. The full title of the work is Giselle or the Wilis (Giselle ou les Wilis). It was written in 1841 and is considered one of the first Romantic ballets and one of the few from that period that are still performed today to great acclaim.
Giselle is a young peasant girl who falls in love with the aristocrat Albrecht, unaware of his true origins. However, the revelation of his true identity—as well as his engagement to a girl of his own class—will drive Giselle mad, and shortly thereafter, the heroine commits suicide with her beloved’s sword. In the second act, a remorseful Albrecht comes to the forest at night, to Giselle’s grave, seeking forgiveness. There he is trapped by the spirits of women betrayed by love, who, along with their queen Myrta, come out at night to condemn any man who crosses their path, forcing him to dance until he dies. But the power of Giselle’s love is so great that she not only forgives her beloved but also saves his life, rescuing him from the spells of the other spirits.
The ballet *Giselle*, one of the most accomplished and complex works, premiered in 1841 and is the epitome of Romanticism, both technically and thematically.
It premiered in France, based on a text by the poet Theophilos Gottié in collaboration with the playwright Vernay de Saint-Georges, based on an idea of his Heine, but it reached its full potential with the Marius Petipa, who reworked the choreography and cast the lead role in Anna Pavlova, which toured the world with this production and went down in history. Since then, great dancers such as Alicia Markova, Carla Fracci, Sally Gilmore, among others, have portrayed this role, which never fails to captivate with its lyricism and sensitivity—it is the role every ballerina dreams of dancing.
A historic ballet company, based at one of the world’s most renowned opera houses, is returning to Athens. This time, as part of its pan-European tour, which began in July in the Netherlands.
The ballet and orchestra of the Odessa National Opera, along with the renowned opera house itself, have a history spanning centuries, as throughout their long history they have presented works by great composers such as Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Sergei Rachmaninoff.
The Odessa National Opera Ballet It continues on its path while honoring its history. With its own academy and an immense artistic legacy, it has remained one of the most significant ballet companies in Eastern Europe for years. Leading dancers and choreographers present classic productions with which they tour around the world.
The Odessa National Opera Ballet is based in a theater that is a jewel of the city of Odessa, a cultural landmark with a rich and long history. The names of great composers, leading singers, as well as famous dancers and choreographers are included in the list of the Greats who have presented their works here.
Great artists such as the ballerinas Anna Pavlova and Isidora Duncan and the great stage actress Sarah Bernhardt have performed on its stage and have been impressed by this magnificent theater, while Forbes magazine, a few years ago, described it as the most important attraction in Eastern Europe.
The Odessa State Opera House was built in 1809, and a year later, on February 10, 1810, it hosted its first performance.
In 1814, the city and the theater witnessed the founding of the Philiki Etaireia, the most significant of the secret organizations formed to prepare a revolution aimed at liberating the Greeks from the Ottoman Empire. In Ellinon Square, in the building at 18 Krasni Street, the members of the Philiki Etaireia used to meet; today, it houses the Philiki Etaireia Museum.
Cast and Crew
GIZELLE – A ballet in two acts
Ballet and Orchestra of the Odessa National Opera
Music: Adolphe Adam
Libretto: Gilles-Henri Vernois de Saint-Georges and Theophilos Gottié
Choreography: Jean Coralli and Gilles Perro with a more recent version of the Marius Petipa and Leonid Lavrovsky
Adaptation: Nadia Fedorova
Set Design – Costumes: Natalia Bevzenko
Featuring leading soloists, the Corps de Ballet and the Odessa National Opera Ballet Orchestra
Orchestra Conductor: Vyacheslav Chernukho Volich
Soloist:
Gisele: Alexandra Vorobiova, (Principal dancer), Prima ballerina of the Odessa National Opera Ballet
Count Albrecht: Andri Pisariyev (Principal dander), Principal Dancer of the Odessa National Opera Ballet
Myrta: Katerina Bourdik soloist with the Odessa National Opera Ballet
Hans: Nmitro Sarai, Principal Dancer of the Odessa National Opera Ballet
Duration: 100 minutes
