In the classical repertory, the ballet Giselle remains as the ultimate challenge to the ballerina and the one role that all prima ballerinas must dance.
The romantic ballet was first presented at the Paris Opera on June 28, 1841. It was choreographed by Jules Perrot and Jean Coralli and based on the book Giselle or the Wilis by Vernoy de Saint-Georges, Theophile Gautier, and Carolli.
Giselle was the brainchild of Gautier, a well-known nineteenth-century ballet critic and writer. He had become enraptured by Heinrich Heine's book De l'Allemagne and envisioned it as a ballet vehicle for Carlotta Grisi, with whom he was enamored.
In his De l'Allemagne Heine writes, "The Wilis are betrothed girls who have died before their wedding day. The poor young creatures cannot be still in their graves...there lingers yet the Tanzlust that they could never satisfy in life, and at midnight they rise up, assemble like a troop on the high road, and woe unto the young man who may encounter them there. He must dance with them...and he must dance without pause until he drops dead. Decked out in their wedding finery...the Wilis dance, elflike, in the moonlight...these dead bacchantes are irresistible."
Giselle is a trusting girl who delights in nature and believes that all people are truly kind. She also has an intense passion for dancing, despite frail health.
The trouble comes when Albrecht, the Duke of Silesia, disguises himself as the peasant, Loys, to romance her. His intentions for doing so are unspecified. As one of noble birth, Albrecht is used to having life bestow upon him whatever he wishes.
His background is unknown to her, as is his engagement to the daughter of a prince.
As Loys, Albrecht vows eternal love to Giselle.
Shortly thereafter, in a hunting party, his betrothed, Bathilde, comes to the peasant village. Even she is enchanted with Giselle's beauty and charm and gives the girl her necklace.
Hilarion, a peasant suitor of Giselle's, has discovered Albrecht's royal sword and reveals the duke's true identity to the crowd gathered to celebrate a great wine festival.
Giselle is horrified. She removes the necklace and flings it to the ground.
She falls at her mother's feet, and when she rises, it is apparent to all that she has gone mad. Miming her former joy with Albrecht, she dances about until she stumbles across Albrecht's sword. She stabs herself with it and dances yet more. Then, taking one more loving look at Albrecht, she dies.
In the second act, Hilarion comes to her grave but is frightened away by Wilis.
Giselle is commanded to come from her grave by Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis, and is ordered to dance, dance being the instrument of the Wilis'
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