Event date:
July 23, 2021 (All day)
Giselle is the bittersweet story of love and death that has moved audiences of all ages around the world. This is perhaps the most beloved of ballets in the world about the peasant woman who falls in love with a Grand Duke, dies of a broken heart, and turns into a spirit protecting her lover from the revenge of a group of evil female spirits called Wilis.
The deep popular tale told in music, theater and dance is based on the story written in 1841 by Théophile Gautier. This cursed love story full of jealousy, madness and vengeful ghosts is rooted in the tradition of ballet and conveys a poetry that keeps this great production alive.
This SNB production of Giselle stars South Korean ballerina DaYoung Jung (Atlantic City Ballet and Oklahoma City Ballet) in the title role and Venezuelan-born Alejandro Gonzalez (Houston Ballet and Oklahoma City Ballet) in the role of her well-known beloved Albrecht, Ananda Bena-Weber of SNB as the queen of the wilis and a troupe of over 30 dancers. Giselle will be presented on July 17, 2021 at Rancho San Rafael in Reno as part of the Reno’s Artown Festival; July 23, 2021 at the Brewery Arts Center Outdoor Hall in Carson City and July 26, 2021 at the Warren Trepp Amphitheater in Sand Harbor on Lake Tahoe as part of the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival.
Sierra Nevada Ballet’s production of Giselle is conceived by former Prima Ballerina, Rosine Bena, based on the original choreography by Perrot and Coralli and transmitted to Bena by the late grand ballet Igor Youskevich. Bena rose to prominence in the late 1970s and 1980s for her portrayal of the tragic heroine, performing the role repeatedly in both theaters and in the award-winning television production, A Life of Dancing, and in the award-winning Cannes Film Festival, She Dances Seul.
Bena tells us, “The reason this play has attracted audiences from all over the world is simple: it is the deep story of pure, unconditional love that endures even after death. It is impossible to watch this beautiful dramatic play without being drawn into the story and without being moved. It is not about dance or ballet. Anyone who has ever been in love will relate to this unforgettable story. “
Asked about the title role of the heroine, Bena replied: “Giselle is the role of a lifetime. During my 28 years on stage, I have danced all the classics and many contemporary roles. by many of the world’s greatest choreographers. Giselle was and still is my favorite role. “
To obtain tickets for Giselle from the Sierra Nevada Ballet, visit the SNB website at www.sierranevadaballet.org or call 775-360-8663 for more information.
