STRAVINSKY VIOLIN CONCERTO

rGISELLE

BALLETN o t e s

BALLETN o t e s

Choreography and Production: Peter Wright

after the choreography of Jean Coralli,

Jules Perrot and Marius Petipa.

based on the book by: Vernoy de Saint-Georges,

Théophile Gautier and Jean Coralli

Music: Adolphe Adam, revised by Joseph Horovitz

Set and Costume Design: Desmond Heeley

Lighting Design: Gil Wechsler

Giselle was produced as a memorial to the late William

P. Walker and was made possible through the courtesy

of many generous friends of the National Ballet.

ABOVE: CHAN HON GOH IN GISELLE. PHOTOGRAPHER: ANDREW OXENHAM

COVER: GRETA HODGKINSON WITH ARTISTS OF THE BALLET IN GISELLE. PHOTOGRAPHER: CYLLA VON TIEDEMANN

GISELLE

Choreography: George Balanchine

Music: Igor Stravinsky, Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D Major (1931)

lighting design: christopher dennis

Used by arrangement with European American Music Distributors Corporation LLC, sole

Canadian and U.S. agent for Schott Musik International, publisher and copyright owner.

Stravinsky Violin Concerto

is presented by Walter Carsen, O.C.

The performance of Stravinsky Violin Concerto, a Balanchine® Ballet, is presented by arrangement

with The George Balanchine Trustsm and has been produced in accordance with the Balanchine

Style®‚ and Balanchine Technique®‚ Service standards established and provided by the Trust.

STRAVINSKY VIOLINCONCERTO

A NOTE ON STRAVINSKYVIOLIN CONCERTOThe longstanding collaboration between choreographerGeorge Balanchine and composer Igor Stravinsky resultedin many incomparable ballets - among the finest wasStravinsky Violin Concerto. New York City Ballet pre-miered this ballet under the title Violin Concerto on June18, 1972 by as part of the Stravinsky Festival at New YorkState Theater, starring Karin von Aroldingen, Kay Mazzo,Jean-Pierre Bonnefous and Peter Martins among the castof twenty. The ballet became known as Stravinsky ViolinConcerto in 1973.

With its astringent and witty double pas de deux at thecentre, Stravinsky Violin Concerto has a sense of play aswell as an undercurrent of sexiness. In Stravinsky's vibrantand emotionally suggestive composition Balanchine hadthe perfect platform for his stylist experiments.

BALANCHINE’S STYLETo fully appreciate Stravinsky Violin Concerto, it is best tobegin with some information about the great choreogra-pher, George Balanchine. Balanchine, co-founder anddirector of New York City Ballet until his death in 1983, isone of the most renowned and prolific choreographers ofthe 20th century. Balanchine created a new genre of clas-sical ballet that is synonymous today with New York CityBallet. Though that company is without doubt the greatest

repository of Balanchine’s works, his ballets are also in therepertoires of more companies than any other choreogra-pher’s. Balanchine’s ballets not only add diversity to acompany’s repertoire, but also challenge dancers to a newlevel of technical brilliance.

Balanchine was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, andreceived his dance training at the Imperial Ballet School.Nurtured in the ballet traditions of the turn of the century,particularly the ballets and pedagogy of the Russian balletmaster Marius Petipa, Balanchine received a classic edu-cation. After leaving Russia in 1924, Balanchine becameexposed to the work of Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes,and in turn created works for Diaghilev’s company. Theartistic milieu of the Ballets Russes was highly stimulat-ing, as Diaghilev brought his choreographers intocollaboration with the composers Igor Stravinsky, SergeiProkofiev, Erik Satie and Maurice Ravel and such visualartists as Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau and Marc Chagall.In 1933, with his own company, Les Ballets, Balanchinecollaborated with such leading artistic figures as BertoltBrecht, Kurt Weill, Pavel Tchelitchev and composersDarius Milhaud and Henri Sauget.

In 1933, at the invitation of Lincoln Kirstein, Balanchinetravelled to the United States, where he and Kirsteinestablished the School of American Ballet in 1934 and NewYork City Ballet in 1948. Through the creation of these twoinstitutions, Balanchine was able to create of very distinctstyle of American dance. Writes dance critic Marilyn Hunt:“When Balanchine first came to the United States, hedevised a way for Americans to appear on stage withoutfeeling weighed down by traditions of court and ballet thatthey weren’t born to.”

Balanchine’s style has been described as neoclassic, areaction to the Romantic anti-classicism (which hadturned into exaggerated theatricality) that was the pre-vailing style in Russian and European ballet when he hadbegun to dance. The beauty of Balanchine’s dances is tobe found in their patterning, structure and in their rela-tionship to the music. Balanchine was the creator ofabstract, one-act ballets. But for a handful, most of hisworks are non-narrative, the music and the dance convey-ing all necessary meaning. Some of Balanchine’s balletspay homage to his Russian heritage, including BalletImperial (1941) and the Diamonds section of the three-act,work Jewels (1967). While others proved provocative (TheFour Temperaments in 1946 and Agon in 1957), romantic(Serenade in 1934) and spectacular audience pleasers(Stars and Stripes in 1958, Union Jack in 1976 and ViennaWaltzes in 1977), all were achieved within his extendedframework of classical ballet.

“Dance can be enjoyed and understood without any verbalintroduction or explanation,” Balanchine said. “The impor-tant thing in ballet is the movement itself, as it is soundwhich is important in a symphony. A ballet may contain astory, but the visual spectacle, not the story, is the essen-tial element.”

GEORGE BALANCHINE WITH IGOR STRAVINSKY IN REHEARSAL, CA. 1957. PHOTO BY MARTHA SWOPE.

FROM LEFT: ALEKSANDAR ANTONIJEVIC. PHOTOGRAPHER: CYLLA VON TIEDEMANN, SONIA RODRIGUEZ IN GISELLE. PHOTOGRAPHER: CYLLA VON TIEDEMANN,CHAN HON GOH IN GISELLE. PHOTOGRAPHER: ANDREW OXENHAM, ARTISTS OF THE BALLET IN GISELLE. PHOTOGRAPHER: CYLLA VON TIEDEMANN,

Balanchine’s use of movement seems organically linkedwith the music and the dancers’ bodies. His work isalways inventive and nothing superfluous is everincluded. It is as if no other step than the one choreo-graphed could possibly work within the structure of thepiece.

Balanchine created a distinctive vocabulary and style ofmovement that closely reflects the structure of the musiche used. Commenting on Balanchine’s use of music,dance critic Kenneth LaFave has noted: “Balanchine hasexplored the interactions of music and dance with almostevery ballet, and has approached their combinationafresh countless times. Look at his ballets superficiallyand they may seem to be illustrations of the music. Lookat them closely and they appear as they really are: worksthat dance in the music, not merely to the beat.”

Watching a Balanchine ballet is like watching and hear-ing a beautifully phrased conversation between danceand music. The most exciting moment of a Balanchineballet is when you begin to “see the music and hear the

dancing.” Balanchine’s relationship with musicstemmed from his early childhood, when his musicalstudies were as important as his dance training. Hisunderstanding of musical theory, composition and play-ing enabled him to develop intimate workingrelationships with his composers. The National Ballet ofCanada’s late Artistic Director, Erik Bruhn, once noted:“He unravelled the intricate structure and emotionaltexture of music. Using the music of Bach, Mozart,Tchaikovsky, and, of course, his close friend IgorStravinsky, Balanchine actually made ballet more awareof its musical potential.”

Balanchine’s understanding of music allowed him toreach into the inner life of the music. It is not the obvi-ous beat but the harmony in the music that motivatesthe dance. Said Balanchine of his use of music previ-ously untouched by ballet choreographers: “If the dancedesigner sees in the development of classical dancing acounterpart in the development of music and has stud-ied them both, he will derive continual inspiration fromgreat scores.”

One of the greatest and most revered choreographicaccomplishments of the Romantic era of ballet, Giselle hasenthralled audiences for generations and provided awealth of dramatic and technical challenges for many ofthe world’s greatest ballerinas, for whom the title role isone of the most demanding and fulfilling in the canon.

Giselle received its premiere at the Paris Opera on June28, 1841. The title role of Giselle was performed by thefamous Romantic ballerina Carlotta Grisi, who thatevening celebrated her 22nd birthday. Lucien Petipa(brother of the choreographer Marius) performed the roleof Albrecht. The ballet proved an instant success, and wasquite spectacular, with the Duke and Albrecht’s fiancée,Bathilde, arriving at the village stage setting on horse-back.

The original scenario was conceived by Jules HenriVernoy de Saint-Georges, a prolific librettist of the period,and Théophile Gautier, a noted critic and poet. The chore-ography was attributed to the Paris Opéra’s chief balletmaster, Jean Coralli, though dances for the leading role ofGiselle have since been accredited to the choreographerJules Perrot, who was Carlotta Grisi’s lover. The music

was specially composed for the ballet by Adolphe Adam.Following its Paris premiere, Giselle was performedthroughout Europe and the United States and alsoinspired a number of theatrical productions.

The National Ballet of Canada has had Giselle in its reper-toire since the company was founded in 1951. At thecompany’s very first performance on November 12, 1951,Lois Smith and David Adams performed the Peasant PasDe Deux from Act I of Giselle. During the 1969/70 NationalBallet season, Peter Wright was invited by Celia Franca tomount a new version of Giselle for the company. This newproduction premiered on April 16, 1970 at Toronto’sO’Keefe Centre (now renamed the Hummingbird Centre)starring guest artists Lynn Seymour and Egon Madsen.

This highly praised production, with beautiful costumesand scenery by famed designer Desmond Heeley, hasremained in the National Ballet’s active repertoire and hasbeen performed across Canada and around the world. In1975, Giselle was filmed by director Norman Campbell forthe Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The programmefeatured Karen Kain and Frank Augustyn in the roles ofGiselle and Albrecht.

A NOTE ON GISELLE

GISELLE SYNOPSIS Act I

The first act is set in a Rhineland valley surrounded byvine-clad hills in medieval Germany. A majestic castlelooms in the distance over the valley. It is autumn and thepeasants are enjoying a rich harvest. Among the manyhappy festivities is the crowning of the Queen of theVintage.

Giselle is a young peasant girl who lives with her mother,Berthe. Their cottage is opposite one that has recentlybeen occupied by the handsome but mysterious Loys, apeasant farmer. Loys is really Count Albrecht of Silesia,who has disguised himself as a peasant inorder to win Giselle’s affections. Gisellehas fallen in love with Loys, but thelocal forester Hilarion loves Giselle andhas always planned to marry her. Hilarionis suspicious of Loys and thinks he is hid-ing some secret.

Challenging Loys to a fight, Hilarion notices that Loysimmediately clasps his right hand to his left hip, as if hewere about to draw a sword. The astute Hilarion notes thatsuch an action would be the instinctive reaction of a noble-man. Hilarion tries to warn Giselle that there is somethingsuspicious about Loys but she refuses to believe him.

Soon a royal hunting party appears in the village, led byAlbrecht’s father the Duke of Silesia and CountessBathilde, who is engaged to Albrecht. The village welcomes the noble visitors. Giselle presents flowers tothe beautiful Bathilde. When it is revealed that Giselle isengaged to be married, Bathilde gives Giselle a necklaceas a gift. While Bathilde and the Duke go to rest inGiselle’s cottage, Hilarion breaks into Loys’ cottage anddiscovers his sword, which bears the family crest of theDuke of Silesia. He now has proof of Loys’ true identity.

GRETA HODGKINSON AND ALEKSANDAR ANTONIJEVIC IN GISELLE . PHOTOGRAPHER: CYLLA VON TIEDEMANN

During the festivities that follow, when Giselle is crownedQueen of the Vintage, Hilarion challenges Loys and, summoning the royal party, reveals Loys’ true identity.Everyone is shocked and confused as they realize thatLoys is really Count Albrecht. Bathilde is shocked to seeher fiancé dressed as a peasant. She then tells everyonethat she is herself engaged to be married to the duplicitous Albrecht.

When Giselle realizes that she has been deceived byAlbrecht, she is overcome by grief and quickly loses herreason. Giselle recalls her moments of innocent happinesswith Albrecht, but then, in a frenzy of madness, shethrusts Albrecht’s sword toward her heart and dies in hermother’s arms. Albrecht runs off, filled with guilt anddespair for what he has done. Hilarion and the villagegrieve for Giselle.

Act II

The scene opens in a moonlit forest glade near the gravewhere Giselle has been buried. Since she took her ownlife, Giselle has been laid to rest in un-hallowed ground,unprotected from evil spirits. It is midnight and Hilarionis keeping vigil, but when the forest becomes haunted byWilis (pronounced will-eez) he flees in terror. The Wilisare the spirits of betrothed young women who have died

from grief after beingbetrayed by faithlesslovers. Malicious innature, these ghostly,

nocturnal creatures areruled over by their queen,

Myrtha, and seek revenge byforcing any man who crosses their

path between midnight and dawn to dance to his death.The Wilis are gathering this night to prepare for the initiation of Giselle into their ranks.

The Wilis momentarily leave the scene, and the melan-cholic Albrecht arrives at Giselle’s grave to plead forforgiveness. To his amazement, the ghost of the deadGiselle appears before him and he follows her into the forest. Hilarion returns to Giselle’s grave, this time to beentrapped by the Wilis, who show him no mercy. Afterforcing him to dance until he is exhausted, Myrtha commands the Wilis to fling Hilarion into the nearby lake.When Albrecht returns, the Wilis surround him and try todoom him to the same fate as Hilarion. Giselle attempts tosave Albrecht, warning him that he will be able to the Wilis if he clings to the cross on her grave, which hedoes.

To have her revenge, the Queen of the Wilis forcesAlbrecht and Giselle to dance on and on into the night,until they are extremely exhausted. Albrecht collapses.Knowing that the power of the Wilis is destroyed by daylight, Giselle manages to sustain Albrecht until thechimes of a distant church bell announce the arrival ofdawn.

The Wilis vanish and Giselle must return to her grave. Butas her love has transcended death, her spirit has nowbeen freed from the power of the Wilis. As the curtainfalls, Albrecht, forlorn and reflective, is left alone in hissorrow.

The Walter Carsen Centre for The National Ballet of Canada

470 Queens Quay West, Toronto, Ontario M5V 3K4

Phone: (416) 345-9686 Fax: (416) 345-8323

Email:info@national.ballet.ca

www.national.ballet.ca

LEITMOTIFS IN GISELLEA leitmotif is a theme used recurrently to denote a specific person, object or feeling, either through music ormovement. Giselle composer Adolphe Adam ingeniouslyused musical leitmotifs in his score. Adam’s leitmotifswere complemented by dance movement leitmotifs cre-ated by choreographers Jules Perrot and Jean Coralli thatare still incorporated in the ballet today. The first act,with its many mime scenes, is rich with accompanyingleitmotifs to assist in the plot development. A study ofthe layers of themes and motifs in the dancing and musicin Giselle leads to a fascinating discovery of the nuancesthat shape both the drama and mood of the ballet.

Giselle’s themeThere is one sequence of steps with accompanying musicthat Giselle repeats at various key moments in the drama.This series of ballonnes, piques and pas de basquedenotes Giselle’s love for dance. They are very simplesteps, light and airy, that reflect Giselle’s simple peasantbackground and carefree existence. When Bathilde asksGiselle what her favorite pastime is, Giselle executes thisseries of steps, telling Bathilde, and the audience, thatshe loves to dance.

Flower themeThe flower theme in which Giselle plucks the petals of adaisy (“he loves me, he loves me not”) is performed twice,once in a happy duet with Albrecht, and again in the madscene, as Giselle recalls her lover.

Huntsmen’s themeThe huntsmen’s theme is the sound of horns that alwaysprecedes the arrival of the nobles and their hunting partyon to the stage.

Wili themeThe wili theme is first heard in Act I when Berthe,Giselle’s mother, warns her about dancing too much; itacts as a premonition of the tragedy that is to follow. Thetheme is reintroduced in the second act with the arrivalof the wilis, who surround Hilarion on his visit to Giselle’s grave.

Hilarion’s themeYou will know each time Hilarion is about to come onstage, because his entrance is heralded by his own distinct musical theme. For this music, Adolphe Adamused an excerpt from the Fate theme of Ludwig vanBeethoven’s Fifth Symphony.

CHOREOGRAPHER SIR PETER WRIGHT REHEARSING ALEKSANDAR ANTONIJEVIC AND GRETA HODGKINSON IN GISELLE. PHOTOGRAPHER: CYLLA VON TIEDEMANN