Abstract
The fateful 28 June 1841 marks the birth of romantic ballet at the Paris Opera. Based on a story published by Heinrich Heine in 1834, Giselle ou Les Wilis tells the tale of a peasant girl who unwittingly falls in love with a duke; her love is betrayed, she succumbs to insanity and dies. After her death, Giselle joins the circle of the Wilis. Ghostly nocturnal creatures, these abandoned brides lure travelers into an inexorable, fatal dance. In order to protect her lover from the vengeance of her companions, Giselle dances for him before the Ghost Queen Myrtha – until the sinister power of the Wilis ends at daybreak.
Even after more than 180 years, Giselle has lost none of its mystique – not least thanks to Adolphe Adam’s imaginative and catchy music. Patrice Bart staged the ghostly fairy tale in 2015 in unadulterated French style, presenting a new, magical version of the piece with Ballett Zürich. Bart’s interpretation is based on the original choreography by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot.
In 2025, Patrice Bart will celebrate his 80th birthday. His career – which has lasted for more than 60 years – is closely linked to the Paris Opera Ballet. After his career as a dancer drew to a close, he was named principal ballet master, and took over the Paris company in 1969, together with Eugène Polyakov. In 1991, on the 150th anniversary of the premiere of Giselle, both artists came together to create a new premiere of this key work in the ballet repertoire.
