Giselle

Adolphe Adam's romantic ballet Giselle combines a poetic narrative of love, loss, and forgiveness with the dark folktale of the Wilis—nocturnal spirits that Heinrich Heine shaped as a literary foundation in Die Wilis (1835). Young women who died before their wedding lure wanderers to their death as eerie beings. Particularly in the famous 'White Act,' an ethereal, otherworldly atmosphere is created through the seemingly weightless pointe work of the dancers.

The production by chief choreographer Reginaldo Oliveira and set designer Thomas Mika gives the classic a modernized aesthetic while preserving the lyrical musical language of the original. The Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg interprets the score under the direction of Leslie Suganandarajah or Tobias Meichsner. As one of the first ballets to use pointe work as an artistic means of expression, Giselle remains a masterpiece of ballet history—defined by the multifaceted development of its main character, from youthful innocence to transcendent reconciliation.