Adolphe Charles Adam: Giselle

The illustrious two-act ballet of the Romantic era, inspired by the German poet Heinrich Heine, draws on the contrast between the human and the supernatural worlds. The story of a sweet country girl who dies, her heart broken by unfulfilled love, and whose soul turns to a fairy, is accompanied by A. C. Adam’s charming music abounding in easy-to-remember tunes. The work’s world premiere, at the Paris Opera in 1841, won a huge acclaim. Giselle has since become one of only few Romantic works to survive its time and now ranks alongside music’s timeless treasures. The Prague State Opera ballet ensemble will present the traditional version of Giselle known to audiences around the globe, which has served as a vehicle of excellence to the world’s foremost prima ballerinas and danceurs nobles.

Premiere: Apr 7, 2011