Is there a better ballet to coincide with Valentine’s than the haunting Giselle?
I know what you’re thinking. Giselle, really? The tale of a woman who literally kills herself when she finds out her man is engaged to someone else? If you’re not familiar with the story, the eponymous heroine falls in love with the charming Albrecht, who she believes to be a fellow peasant. But when she discovers him to be a nobleman, betrothed to a princess, Giselle dramatically stabs herself. From then on she is fated to spend her days with the Wilis, a group of vengeful women ghosts who were all jilted and died of broken hearts.
It may be a bit OTT (no man is worth killing yourself over), but while ghosting might take on a different meaning in 2026, this tale of betrayal and revenge still resonates today; if you’re feeling disillusioned with dating, Giselle is the perfect post-Valentine’s antidote.
Peter Wright’s 1985 production of Giselle, originally choreographed in 1841 by Marius Petipa, is ageing like fine wine. Last revived in 2021, the timeless romantic ballet returns to the Royal Opera House in 2026.
Sarah Lamb is feather-light as the naïve Giselle of the first act, her slender limbs stretching away from her body like taffy. Once a Wili, she is forlorn, resigned to her (after)life as a wraith. Ryoichi Hirano hits the right balance of confident and endearing as the handsome Albrecht, performing gravity defying leaps and implausibly intricate batterie from start to finish. The chemistry between the two is palpable and I’d be surprised if there was a dry eye in the house during the pair’s devastating act II pas de deux.
There are lighter moments, mainly in the first act, too. The peasant’s pas de six, led by an exuberant Meaghan Grace Hinkis and buoyant Luca Acri, is a highlight. John McFarlane’s set and earth-toned costumes are wonderfully bucolic – a cloudy sky looks like Turner painting, while quaint wooden cottages flanking the stage could be something from a Studio Ghibli film. In the second act these make way for creepy upturned trees, their spindly branches spreading out in all directions. There’s also a lot of lovely fog, really adding to the spooky atmosphere. Other, less cheery standout performances come from Annette Buvoli, as the menacing Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis, and her attendants played by Leticia Dias and Hannah Grennell.
If you’re going through a breakup, or are simply not a fan of soppy love stuff, go and watch Giselle. It’s bleak watching, but it might just offer the catharsis you need.
