Greek National Opera revives classic ballet "Giselle"

In a classic choreography, the ballet Giselle, a landmark work in the repertoire with music by Adolphe Adam, will be presented by the Greek National Opera during December and January.

Specifically, from December 19 and for nine unique performances, Giselle will revive the timeless choreography of Marius Petipa by distinguished choreographers Veronique Vilar and Elena Iglesias, under the musical direction of José Salasar, featuring international ballet stars in the lead roles, CE Report quotes ANA-MPA.

It is worth noting that the title role has been described as "the Hamlet of ballet," representing both a challenge and an accolade for a classical ballerina. Since its premiere in 1841 at the Paris Opera, Giselle continues to enchant and move audiences worldwide. Petipa’s classical choreography retains its freshness as it explores human frailty, betrayal, and grief—overcome only through selfless love, a love that transcends death, protecting and nurturing life itself.

The Story of Giselle

The story unfolds when Count Albrecht presents himself as a simple villager to the young peasant girl Giselle, and she innocently falls in love with him. When she discovers that he is engaged to another and learns his true identity, she loses her mind and takes her own life. In the depths of the forest, under the full moon, the souls of girls betrayed by their lovers—the wilis—return as vengeful spirits on the night of their weddings. Any man who crosses their path must dance with them until he dies. The remorseful Albrecht is drawn into their deadly dance, and Giselle intervenes, supporting him throughout the night until dawn, when the wilis lose their power. Giselle forgives him and returns to eternal life as a spirit, leaving him grief-stricken.

The Choreographers

Veronique Vilar was a soloist with the Bilbao Youth Ballet and First Dancer of the Ballet of the Basque Country. She gained recognition for her performance in the dual role of Odette/Odile in Swan Lake under the guidance of Maya Plisetskaya. Since 2013, she has been a ballet teacher and co-director of rehearsals at the State Theater of Karlsruhe, and since 2019 has held the same position at the State Theaters of Eisenach and Meiningen. She teaches worldwide (from the Royal Ballet School of Antwerp to Japan) and collaborates with prominent international choreographers.

The internationally awarded Elena Iglesias is a graduate of the Royal Conservatory of Dance in Madrid. She teaches at the Higher Dance School “María de Ávila” and at the State Professional School of Dance in Riba-roja de Túria, Valencia. She has served as a ballet teacher and répétiteur at the Ballet of Zaragoza. Since 2013, she has been director, dance teacher, and répétiteur at the Palatinate Theater in Kaiserslautern, Germany.

The Lead Pair

Alongside the outstanding First Dancers, Soloists, Principals, and the Corps de ballet of the Greek National Opera, the production features international ballet stars in the lead roles.

The lead pair includes Julian Mackay and Elizabeth Tonev on December 19 and 21, while on December 24, the role of Giselle will be performed by Xenia Shevtsova.

The highly acclaimed Julian Mackay is First Dancer at the Bavarian State Ballet. His notable career includes collaborations and performances with the Russian State Ballet, the Royal Ballet of London, the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, and the San Francisco Ballet. Elizabeth Tonev, First Dancer at the Bavarian State Ballet, is a recipient of the Constance Vernon Award from the Heinz Bosl Foundation. She has performed leading roles in classical and contemporary repertoire by renowned choreographers such as Ratmansky, Forsythe, van Manen, Dawson, and Balanchine. Xenia Shevtsova is First Dancer at the Stanislavsky Theatre and the Bavarian State Ballet, awarded Best Dancer at the Bolshoi Ballets (2018) and the Soul of Dance Award (2019). She has performed major roles in the classical repertoire and collaborated with leading choreographers such as Petipa, Posokhov, Kylián, Duato, and Ratmansky.

On December 26, 28, and 30, the audience will enjoy the role of Giselle performed by the distinguished Georgian dancer Maia Makhateli, returning to the Greek National Opera after her outstanding performance in Don Quixote in 2022. She will appear as Albrecht alongside Yang Gyu Choi from the Dutch National Ballet. Maia Makhateli has been First Dancer at the Dutch National Ballet since 2009, was named “Dancer of the Year” by Dance Europe in 2020, and has appeared in major theaters, galas, and festivals worldwide, gaining international recognition. Yang Gyu Choi, First Dancer of the Dutch National Ballet, is internationally acclaimed for his dynamic stage presence and refined artistic expression.

For the final three performances on December 31 and January 2 and 3, Xenia Ovsianik returns to the Greek National Opera following her acclaimed performance as Kitri in Don Quixote, alongside distinguished Dutch National Ballet dancer Konstantin Allen. Xenia Ovsianik, a highly sought-after British-Belarusian dancer, is First Dancer at the Berlin State Ballet and the Polish National Ballet. She began her career at the English National Ballet and has performed leading roles in classical and contemporary repertoire, collaborating with top international choreographers. Konstantin Allen, an American with Greek roots, is First Dancer at the Dutch National Ballet. Among his awards is the Grand Prix at the Tanzolymp competition in Berlin (2011), which established him internationally. He has also worked as First Dancer at Stuttgart Ballet and with the Grand Canadian Ballets.

Production Details

Giselle

Choreography revival, adaptation: Veronique Vilar, Elena Iglesias, based on the original choreography by Marius Petipa (after Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot)
Musical Direction: José Salasar
Set and Costumes: Dido Gogou
Lighting: Eleftheria Dekó

Giselle: Elizabeth Tonev / Xenia Shevtsova / Maia Makhateli / Xenia Ovsianik
Count Albrecht: Julian Mackay / Yang Gyu Choi / Konstantin Allen
Hilarion: Danilo Zeka / Vangelis Bikos
Wilfrid: Giannis Benetos / Giannis Gkantzios
Bert: Emilia Gaspari
Duke of Courland: Igor Siatzko / Florian-Michalis Pappas
Bathilde: Christina Makridou / Popi Sakellaropoulou
Peasant pas de deux: Manes Alberti, Angelos Antoniou, Marita Nikolitsa
6 Giselle’s friends: Anna Fragkou / Areti Noti, Olga Markari, Marita Nikolitsa, Zoi Schoinoplokaki, Eleftheria Stamou, Cecilia Hadjiemmanouil

With the Orchestra, First Dancers, Soloists, Principals, Corps de ballet, and students of the Greek National Opera.