Molly - Giselle
On Saturday evening I went to see Giselle with my mom at the local ballet. Despite having a more or less lifelong interest in ballet and Giselle being essential to the classical ballet canon, I had never seen it staged professionally - just by the company of my adolescent ballet school.
It's an interesting story. The first act is longer than the second, but I would argue the whole enduring concept of Giselle in anyone's mind is made up of images and feelings from the second act. In the first act, German prince Albrecht disguises himself as a commoner to visit a village's harvest festival. There he woos a beautiful young woman named Giselle, who falls in love with him. She has a weak heart and knows she isn't supposed to dance, but she is so wrapped up in excitement and romance that she does it anyway. At the end of the act, the prince is exposed not only in his true idenity, but for the fact that he is already betrothed to someone of his own class. Giselle goes mad with betrayal and grief, and dies.
The second act begins with Albrecht visiting Giselle's grave where he is quickly surrounded by the Wilis, vengeful spirits of women who died after being hurt by men. Act II is sapped of most color and the entire female corps is on stage for most of its duration, dressed in ethereal white costumes evoking brides. The Wilis punish any man caught alone by forcing him to dance to death. Giselle, now a Wili, saves Albrecht's life by dancing with him until dawn. It's interesting that even though Giselle is a famously difficult role for the female principal, the ballet's most iconic image is the corps' eerie symmetry in the dance of the Wilis (above).
Act II hinges on not only the technical skill - it's more obvious if someone is out of sync with the pared down set elements and identical costumes - but the acting of Giselle, Albrecht, and the Queen of the Wilis. Act I doesn't really have a female part to take any focus away from Giselle, so it's clear in the second act why the queen is such a coveted role. She is icily staccato and you have to believe in her eternal anger. Albrecht has to convey sorrow and guilt, yes, but he needs to be pathetic. His sadness is not only at losing Giselle, but that he tricked her. He decided to joke around in all his carelessness and privilege, and now someone he probably wasn't really in love with is dead. He needs to seem cowardly and trapped even before the Wilis literally trap him.
Our local company happens to have an incredible principal ballerina whose artistry and acting always transport me. I hadn't realized until this performance how challenging the acting element of the role is, physical challenges aside. Giselle is soft and yielding next to the Queen of the Wilis. She is the embodiment of forgiveness - a forgiveness that no other character on stage (or member of the audience) believes could ever be deserved. But alongside gentleness, she has to make it seem like her emotional and even physical strength is keeping the male lead going. I think some people hear the story of Giselle and are put off by its finale of unearned redemption. In the dark, watching a ballerina emit literal and figurative grace, you may find yourself softened and moved anyway.