stage photo of Giselle

Venue: Wenzhou Grand Theater

Time: November 13th, 2018

Synopsis:

Act I. In the Rhineland

Duke Albrecht has fallen in love with a farmer’sdaughter, Giselle, and disguises himself as a humble villager called “Loys” in order to court her. Innocent as she is,Giselle also believes that she is in love with a humble farmer.

Hilarion, a local forestguard, is also in love with Giselle and warns the naive girl not to trust the mysterious Loys. Despite his warning, Giselle is convinced of Loys’ love and ignores her mother’s admonishment of not dancing too much due to her delicate health.

One day, Hilarion breaks into Loys’ hut in forest and finds a long sword with a badge unique to a nobleman.

When a party of noblemen, led by Bathilde, fiancée of Duke Albrecht, and her father, Duke of Courtland, arrive in the village to seek refreshment following the rigors of the hunt, they are warmly greeted by Giselle, and in return, Bathilde offers her a precious necklace as a gift.

Though Hilarion presentsto Giselle the sword and reveals the true identity of Loys in order to prevent her from falling in love with Albrecht, Giselle refuses to believe him.However,in the hunting party, Giselle is shocked to find that Albrecht is among the party of noblemen and realizes her lover’s deception.Filled with a mad fit of grief, Giselle dances wildly and erratically, ultimately stabbing herself with Albrecht’s sword and dying athisfeet.

Act II. In the silent forest

At a gloomy chilly night, the Wilis, the ghostly spirits of maidens betrayed by their lovers,are seeking opportunities to exact their revenge on any man they encounter at forest graves. They have cornered many young men approaching the forest, forcing their victims to dance until death of exhaustion. This night, Hilarion is punished to death by the Wilis, led by their merciless queen Myrtha, when he comes to the grave.

Meanwhile, Albrecht arrives to lay flowers on Giselle’s grave and weeps with guilt over her death.The Wilis want to sentence him to death as well. It is the kindness of Giselle that spares his life. When Giselle and the other spirits return to their graves at daybreak, the sorrowful Albrecht knows that he has lost a girl’s pure and steadfast love forever.