Yellowstone Ballet brings “Giselle” to Bozeman
Published: March 2, 2011
the principal roles in "Giselle."
“Giselle,” one of the most popular ballets of all time, will be performed by Yellowstone Ballet Company at 4 p.m. April 10 at Willson Auditorium in Bozeman.
“Giselle,” which deputed in Paris in 1841, is a wrenchingly poignant tale of unrequited love, remorse and forgiveness. Act I of the ballet is set in a German village where Giselle, a young village girl, falls in love with the nobleman Albrecht, who has disguised himself as a peasant. Albrecht engages himself to Giselle although he is already betrothed to the princess Bathilde.
Hilarion, the village gamekeeper, exposes Albrecht's true identity and Bathilde claims her fiancé in front of the distraught Giselle, who dies of grief.
“The role of Giselle is one of the most sought-after in ballet,” says Yellowstone Ballet Company artistic director Kathleen Rakela. “To win the role, a ballerina must have near perfect technique, outstanding grace, and great drama skills.”
“Giselle is, to a ballerina, what portraying Hamlet is to an actor,” she adds. “The role puts big demands on the ballerina, both as a dancer and as an actor, as Giselle moves from innocent maiden in love, to a woman driven mad by jealousy, to an ethereal spirit in a world beyond death.”
Kristi Capps, principal dancer of Cincinnati Ballet, plays the dramatic role of Giselle. Her husband, Dimitri Trubchanov, formerly of Russia’s Kirov Ballet and a current principal dancer of Colorado Ballet, performs the dual role of Prince Albrecht and the peasant Loys.
“It is a rare treat to have such a great story ballet with wonderful, professional dancers performing the leads right here in Bozeman,” says Rakela.
Act II of the ballet draws from German folklore as it evokes the Willis. These female spirits, who were jilted before their weddings, rise from their graves at night to seek revenge on men by dancing them to death. Myrta, queen of the Willis, welcomes Giselle from her grave, then commands her to join the Willis in dancing both Hilarion and Albrecht to death.
While the Willis succeed with Hilarion, Albrecht expresses his remorse and begs forgiveness from Giselle. She shows her forgiveness by dancing with him until dawn breaks and the Willis disperse.
Carla Stalling, former soloist with American Ballet Theatre and principal dancer of Boston Ballet, is coaching her daughter, Carolyn Lippert, in the role of Myrta, queen of the Willis. Stallings was coached by Georgina Parkinson of the Royal Ballet and danced the role at ABT with Baryshnikov as prince Albrecht and Gelsey Kirkland as Giselle.
“Stallings is one of the few interpreters of the role who reminds one that Myrta was once a woman … impressive.” (The New York Times, 1987)
Stallings currently teaches with Franco De Vita at the American Ballet Theatre International Summer School. While in Montana for this special production she will teach an intermediate master class at 3:45 and advanced master class at 5 p.m. April 7 at Yellowstone Ballet School in Livingston and an intermediate ballet class at 12:30 p.m. at The Dance Center and an advanced ballet class at 2:30 p.m. April 8 at Montana Ballet School/Main Street Dance Theatre in Bozeman. Classes are open to all dancers in the region.
Joining the Yellowstone Ballet Company in “Giselle” are dancers from Montana Ballet School/Main Street Dance Theatre of Bozeman and Ballet Montana Academy in Helena.
Tickets are $20-$45 and go on sale March 4 at Eckroth Music in Bozeman and Conley’s Books and Music in Livingston, or online at www.yellowstoneballet.org.
