Study Guide to
G ISELLE
The Romantic Era Of Ballet
Did you know ballet didn’t always look like what it looks like today?
Just as there are different eras in history, there are different eras in ballet.
Our ballet Giselle, first performed in 1841 by the Paris Opera Ballet, is
considered by many to be a hallmark of the Romantic Era of ballet.
When people in 1841 said something was “Romantic,” they didn’t
mean the same thing we would mean today. We think of “romantic” as
something that’s about love and romance. But in the 1800s, the Romantic
Movement was a trend that swept through all the arts in Europe:
literature, poetry, painting, sculpture, music, and dance.
The main artistic trend just before that had been known as NeoClassicism (“neo” is a prefix that means “new.”) Neoclassic artists were
inspired by the ideas of ancient Greece and Rome. They tried to make
artworks that were simple and elegant, calm and serene.
T
he Romantic artists rebelled against those ideas. They were inspired
by the wildness of nature, the strangeness of folk beliefs, and the
power of strong feelings of every kind: love, awe, and even fear. They tried
to create artworks that would evoke these strong feelings in their viewers.
Ballet was an ideal medium for Romantic
art. Romantic ballets of the 19th Century
used dramatic stories based on strongly
emotional themes. Helping make these
stories more exciting was the refinement
of a ballet technique called pointe work, in
which dancers would dance on the ends
of their toes. By dancing on pointe, and
keeping her arms low and still, a ballerina
could seem to float effortlessly around the
stage as if she were a ghost.
The legend of
the wilis
Do your parents ever tell you
ghost stories? Giselle’s mother
loved to tell not only Giselle but
also her friends the legend of
the Wilis. (In American ballet
we usually pronounce this word
“WILL-eez”; in Germany, where
it originated, they would say
“VEEL-eez”.)
The Wilis were said to be
ghosts of young girls who had
been betrayed by their beloveds
and died of grief before their
wedding days. Their fearsome
queen, Myrtha, would call them
from their graves from midnight
until dawn to haunt the forests.
These beautiful ghosts were
not to be trusted, for they held a
grudge against young men who
came wandering into the forest
late at night. If a man stumbled
into their midst, these dancing
apparitions would force him to
dance with them until he is too
exhausted to survive.
Have you ever heard someone
say “I’ve got the willies” after
hearing a terrifying story? This is
how that expression started!
This stroboscopic photo illustrates
how pointe work could make a
dancer seem to float like a ghost.
But Giselle became the greatest of all
the Romantic ballets because it was not
only about the supernatural. Its characters had realistic feelings that
everyone experiences: the excitement of new love, the pain of jealousy,
and the hard decision of whether to bear a grudge against someone who
has hurt us, or to forgive. Giselle brings all those feelings to life in an
unforgettable way.
Not all versions of the Wili
legend are scary. Many European
and Scandinavian countries have
stories about velias, skogsras,
and other forest spirits who
sometimes are spooky, but
other times help the people they
encounter. Today, the Veelas
mentioned in J.K. Rowling’s
Harry Potter books are based on
these legendary creatures!
The Story of
Giselle
The background:
Our story takes place a little
more than 200 years ago (about
the same time George Washington
was President of the United
States.) The place it happens is
the Rhineland, a region along the
Rhine River in Germany.
vineyards; instead, she helps her
mother by sewing clothes for the
other villagers. Her favorite activity
is dancing with her friends: She
likes it so much that her mother
often has to warn her not to strain
her heart with too much dancing!
I
f you look at Germany on a map
today, you’ll see that it is one of
the largest countries in Europe. But
200 years ago, it was only a loose
association of small territories
ruled by kings and dukes. The most
important industries were forestry
and farming; in the Rhineland,
the most important farm crop was
grapes, which were used to make
wine. (A farm that grows grapes for
wine-making is called a vineyard
[VIN-yerd].)
The kings, dukes, and their
relatives – the nobles – owned
almost all the land. Most ordinary
people – the peasants – lived in
small villages and worked tending
the vineyards or cutting wood in
the forests.
Because the peasants didn’t have
a chance to go to school, they had
many superstitions about nature
spirits and magical creatures. The
most exciting part of their year was
harvest time, when villages would
have a festival to celebrate the
gathering of the year’s crops.
In one of these Rhineland villages
lives a charming peasant girl named
Giselle [zhi-ZELL.] She is sweet,
happy, good-natured, and liked
by everyone. A childhood illness
left her with a weak heart, so she
isn’t strong enough to work in the
In most of Act I, Giselle is happy and
carefree. Her style of movement, the colors
of her costume, and the bright, cheerful
lighting on the stage all help give the ballet a
sunny, positive mood.
With her charm and sweetness,
Giselle has caught the eye of
Albrecht [ALL-breckt], who lives in
the castle that overlooks her home.
Albrecht is the son of the Duke who
rules Giselle’s village. As a noble,
he is responsible for increasing his
dukedom’s power and prestige. To
help do this, Albrecht’s family has
arranged for him to marry Bathilde
[bah-TIL-duh], the daughter of
another important Duke.
Albrecht likes Bathilde, but
sometimes he doesn’t like having
so much responsibility. He finds
himself daydreaming about what it
would be like to marry Giselle and
live a simpler life.
T
hese daydreams tempt Albrecht
to do something a bit silly: He
disguises himself so he can meet
Giselle! He pretends to be a peasant
farmer named Loys, from another
village close by. He quickly charms
Giselle, and the two fall in love. She
introduces him to her friends, and
everyone seems enchanted by the
newcomer – except for Hilarion.
Hilarion [hih-LAIR-yon] and
Giselle have been friends since
childhood, and he has always
hoped to marry her. He is very
suspicious of this newcomer who
calls himself Loys. Hilarion works
as a gamekeeper – a job something
like a modern forest ranger – and
is very keen-eyed and observant.
He notices clues that Loys is not
who he claims to be. One time, he
sees Loys make a gesture as if he is
taking off a cape – a garment that
only nobles wear. Another time, he
sees Loys absent-mindedly reach
for his sword – a weapon that only
nobles carry. Hilarion decides to try
to win Giselle back by showing that
Loys is an impostor.
Act I
The ballet opens on what begins
as the happiest day of Giselle’s
life. It is the day of the festival
celebrating the grape harvest, and
everyone in the village is excited.
G
iselle dances with Loys, who
impulsively asks her to marry
him (completely forgetting that, as
Albrecht, he is already engaged to
someone else!) Her friends come
to visit her, and crown her queen
of the harvest festival. And there’s
additional excitement as a richly
dressed group of nobles, traveling
through the forest on a hunting
party, stops to visit the village.
Loys slips away quietly to avoid
being recognized as Albrecht,
but the rest of the villagers are
fascinated by the nobles and try
their best to make them welcome.
They offer them refreshments,
and dance to entertain them. One
of the noblewomen is especially
kind to Giselle – although she has
no way of knowing that this is
Bathilde, the woman that Albrecht
is engaged to marry.
T
he only one who isn’t happy
is Hilarion. He is jealous
after seeing that Giselle and Loys
are in love. While everyone else
is distracted by the festival, he
searches Loys’ cottage – and
discovers a sword! Only nobles
are allowed to own swords, and
Hilarion realizes that this is the
proof he has been looking for: Loys
is an imposter, really a nobleman in
disguise.
Catching Giselle and Loys
alone, Hilarion confronts them
with the evidence. Loys denies
that the sword is his, and Giselle
believes him at first. But then
Hilarion blows a hunting horn,
which he knows will summon the
nobles’ hunting party to return
After the other Wilis disperse,
Giselle sees Albrecht. He has heard
the legends about the Wilis and
the danger of walking alone in the
forest – but, torn with guilt, he has
come anyway to place flowers on
Giselle’s grave. She appears to him
in her ethereal ghostly form, and
they dance together.
In Act II, the mood has changed. In this
act of the ballet, the dancers are costumed
either in ghostly white or in dark, serious
colors. The lighting is like moonlight,
creating a spooky, supernatural atmosphere.
to the village. This time there is
no chance for Albrecht to slip
away, and Bathilde recognizes
him immediately, even through
his disguise.
When Giselle sees that her
beloved has no explanation for his
behavior, she can no longer deny
the truth. Loys – or Albrecht – has
betrayed her and is engaged to
someone else. She is overcome with
grief and works herself into a frenzy
that strains her weak heart, leading
to her death, closing the first act of
the ballet.
Act II
Myrtha, the Queen of the Wilis, is a
beautiful but pitiless ghost. She carries a
branch from a myrtle tree, which she uses as
a magic wand to command the Wilis.
The second act opens in a clearing
in the forest, where a simple cross
marks Giselle’s grave. The audience
meets Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis.
These beautiful but vengeful ghosts
are girls who died of broken hearts.
They torment and destroy young
men who wander alone into their
forest at night. Myrtha and the
Wilis all dance together, and call
Giselle from her grave to join in
their ranks.
Soon their dance is interrupted.
Hilarion also has dared to come
into the forest to visit Giselle’s grave
– but the Wilis have found him.
Myrtha uses her magical powers to
force him to dance until he is too
exhausted to save himself. In a final
act of fury the Wilis fling him off a
cliff in the river below.
T
he Wilis disperse again to hunt
for another victim. This time
they return with both Albrecht and
Giselle. Myrtha again commands
that Albrecht dance until he is too
exhausted to survive. But Giselle’s
kind nature leads her to defend
him, even though he had betrayed
her. She begs Myrtha to spare his
life, but the Queen has no mercy.
Giselle can’t prevent Myrtha from
forcing Albrecht to dance – but she
can help him. She dances with him
and supports him, helping him save
his strength – until the bells chime,
signaling the dawn, when the Wilis
must return to their graves.
Giselle and Albrecht are left to say
a final goodbye. Giselle must also
depart at dawn – but by forgiving
Albrecht, she has broken Myrtha’s
power over her, allowing her to rest
forever in peace. As the ballet ends,
Albrecht is left alone, humbled by
the memory of the simple peasant
girl whose forgiving heart had
saved his life.
Things to Think About…
Setting the Stage
• After hearing the story, what differences do you notice between the first act and the second act?
• What is the mood of each act? Are they both joyful?
• How would you show the differences in the acts using sets, props and lights?
Leitmotif
Adolphe Adam composed the music for Giselle. He incorporated into the score, for the first time in ballet,
something known as a leitmotif [LITE-mo-TEEF.] This word means a musical theme that a composer assigns to
a particular character or idea. Whenever that character reappears or that idea is repeated, the leitmotif plays. For
example: At the beginning of Act I, Giselle and Albrecht fall in love – and the music that plays during this time
is then again played when Giselle learns of Albrecht’s betrayal as she calls to mind when they were once in love.
How might you make music seem sadder? Slow it down? Speed it up? Make the notes lower or higher?
Think about other forms of storytelling, such as movies or television shows. Many of them use music to
identify characters. What are some characters you know that have their own leitmotifs?
Telling the Story
When you attend a ballet performance, you’ll notice one thing right away that makes it different from a movie
or a play: The dancers don’t talk! So you might wonder: how can they tell a story?
But once you see the ballet, you’ll discover that it’s very easy to follow along. Here are some of the ways dancers
“tell” a story without talking. Watch for them when you’re watching the performance!
Movement quality: When dancers talk about “movement quality,” they mean the way someone moves. You
already know how this works. Think about your best friend: You probably can tell how he or she is feeling just by
the way she or he stands, sits, or walks, right? How would you walk if you wanted to show you’re really happy?
How would you sit if you wanted to show you’re sad and tired? Dancers take these same everyday movement
qualities and make them bigger and clearer, so you can see how the characters feel.
Gestures: These are the hand and arm movements we make naturally as we speak. They also can be used
without talking. Take a minute and think of some examples: How would you gesture to say “Come here”? How
about “Look at that!” Or “You, listen to me.” Or “Stop, don’t do it!” Again, dancers take everyday gestures and
make them bigger and clearer to help communicate what’s going on.
Pantomime: For complicated ideas, dancers use a special “language” of gestures that have specific meanings.
Do you ever watch basketball or football? If you do, you know that the referees use special hand signals to explain
what they are doing during the game. Pantomime is just ballet’s version of the same idea.
For example: the pantomime for “dance” is to hold your arms above your head and circle your hands around
each other. In Act I, when Giselle’s friends come to visit her, they say with gestures, “Come away with us.” Giselle
replies in pantomime, “Let’s stay here and dance!” In Act II, Hilarion makes a gesture – clasping his hands – to
plead with Myrtha to spare him. She replies in pantomime: “No – you must dance!”
Watch for more examples in the ballet!
What You’ll See in the Theater
The performance you’ll see with your school group has been planned
especially for students, and you’ll have your teachers and assistants to help
you know where to sit and when things are happening. When you go to a
public performance, things may look a bit different. A ballet performance
has its own customs and traditions that help make your visit to the
theater special. Although each production may handle things slightly
differently, here’s a general guide to what you can expect:
Before the show, people come in, find their seats, and get settled. This
is a good time to read the program book, which tells you the order
of the performance, lists which dancer performs each role, and gives
information about the ballet and the people who made it.
The seating area of a theater is traditionally called the house, and the
lights that let you see as you come in are called the house lights. When
the house lights dim, it means the performance is about to begin. The
curtain will not go up right away; instead, you’ll hear music called
the overture. It’s a preview of the music that will be heard during the
performance. It helps viewers forget about their outside distractions
and get into the mood to enjoy the ballet. Once the overture ends, the
curtain will rise and the dancers will begin the performance.
In addition to the dancing, changes in the music and the lighting help
you follow along in the ballet. You’ll notice how the music changes to
match what’s going on in each scene, and how the lighting changes from
one scene to the next, helping to create a mood that matches the action.
In the Know…
Ballet was invented to
entertain kings and queens,
princes and princesses. Today,
of course, everyone is welcome!
But it’s fun to be “in the know”
about its customs and etiquette:
Do make sure you are ready to
sit and enjoy the show in plenty
of time before it starts. Try to
take care of getting a drink, a
tissue, bathroom breaks, etc.,
before you come to the theater.
Don’t chew gum, or bring
food or drinks of any kind to
the theater. Also, texting, taking
pictures, or using cell phones
isn’t allowed during the show.
Don’t leave your seat during
the show. The theater will be
dark, and it’s hard to get around.
If it’s an emergency and you
absolutely have to get up, check
with your teacher or chaperone.
Ballet performances usually have pauses and intermissions. A pause
is a short break of a minute or two between two sections. The house
lights will stay dim, and you should just relax and stay in your seat,
because the performance will resume right away. Intermissions are
longer breaks – usually 20 minutes – in which the house lights come up
and the viewers can walk out into the lobby to stretch their legs and talk
about the performance with their friends. The program book will tell
you which breaks are pauses and which are intermissions.
Do laugh if the dancers do
something funny. They like to
know they’re entertaining you!
You’ll know the ballet is over when the music finishes and the lights
fade out on the stage. But there’s still one more important moment to
come. The lights on the stage will come up again and the dancers will
face the audience, step forward, and bow to thank the audience for
attending. Often the dancers who had the most prominent roles will
bow separately, and finally the whole company will bow together. After
the final bow, the curtain falls and the house lights come up, signaling
that it’s time to leave – until your next visit to the ballet!
Do applaud (clap) if you want
to show the dancers you liked
what you saw. If you’ve been to
a stage play or to the symphony,
you may have been told that
you should applaud only at the
end. But ballet is different: it’s
perfectly okay to applaud any
time you see something you
think is really, really good!
While you’re waiting for your next chance to attend a ballet
performance, visit balletnebraska.org to learn more about ballet, about
our performers, and about our future productions.
Don’t talk during the show.
There’s a lot happening onstage,
and you don’t want to miss
something important!