stravinsky violin concerto giselle - The National Ballet of Canada

STRAVINSKY
VIOLIN CONCERTO
GISELLE
BALLET
Notes

STRAVINSKY VIOLIN
CONCERTO
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 Trust sm and has been produced in accordance with the Balanchine
Style®‚ and Balanchine Technique®‚ Service standards established and provided by the Trust.
GISELLE
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.
BALLET
Notes
COVER: GRETA HODGKINSON WITH ARTISTS OF THE BALLET IN GISELLE. PHOTOGRAPHER: CYLLA VON TIEDEMANN
ABOVE: CHAN HON GOH IN GISELLE. PHOTOGRAPHER: ANDREW OXENHAM

A NOTE ON STRAVINSKY
VIOLIN CONCERTO
The longstanding collaboration between choreographer
George Balanchine and composer Igor Stravinsky resulted
in many incomparable ballets - among the finest was
Stravinsky Violin Concerto. New York City Ballet premiered
this ballet under the title Violin Concerto on June
18, 1972 by as part of the Stravinsky Festival at New York
State Theater, starring Karin von Aroldingen, Kay Mazzo,
Jean-Pierre Bonnefous and Peter Martins among the cast
of twenty. The ballet became known as Stravinsky Violin
Concerto in 1973.
With its astringent and witty double pas de deux at the
centre, Stravinsky Violin Concerto has a sense of play as
well as an undercurrent of sexiness. In Stravinsky's vibrant
and emotionally suggestive composition Balanchine had
the perfect platform for his stylist experiments.
BALANCHINE’S STYLE
To fully appreciate Stravinsky Violin Concerto, it is best to
begin with some information about the great choreographer,
George Balanchine. Balanchine, co-founder and
director of New York City Ballet until his death in 1983, is
one of the most renowned and prolific choreographers of
the 20th century. Balanchine created a new genre of classical
ballet that is synonymous today with New York City
Ballet. Though that company is without doubt the greatest
repository of Balanchine’s works, his ballets are also in the
repertoires of more companies than any other choreographer’s.
Balanchine’s ballets not only add diversity to a
company’s repertoire, but also challenge dancers to a new
level of technical brilliance.
Balanchine was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, and
received 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 ballet
master Marius Petipa, Balanchine received a classic education.
After leaving Russia in 1924, Balanchine became
exposed to the work of Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes,
and in turn created works for Diaghilev’s company. The
artistic milieu of the Ballets Russes was highly stimulating,
as Diaghilev brought his choreographers into
collaboration with the composers Igor Stravinsky, Sergei
Prokofiev, Erik Satie and Maurice Ravel and such visual
artists as Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau and Marc Chagall.
In 1933, with his own company, Les Ballets, Balanchine
collaborated with such leading artistic figures as Bertolt
Brecht, Kurt Weill, Pavel Tchelitchev and composers
Darius Milhaud and Henri Sauget.
In 1933, at the invitation of Lincoln Kirstein, Balanchine
travelled to the United States, where he and Kirstein
established the School of American Ballet in 1934 and New
York City Ballet in 1948. Through the creation of these two
institutions, Balanchine was able to create of very distinct
style of American dance. Writes dance critic Marilyn Hunt:
“When Balanchine first came to the United States, he
devised a way for Americans to appear on stage without
feeling weighed down by traditions of court and ballet that
they weren’t born to.”
Balanchine’s style has been described as neoclassic, a
reaction to the Romantic anti-classicism (which had
turned into exaggerated theatricality) that was the prevailing
style in Russian and European ballet when he had
begun to dance. The beauty of Balanchine’s dances is to
be found in their patterning, structure and in their relationship
to the music. Balanchine was the creator of
abstract, one-act ballets. But for a handful, most of his
works are non-narrative, the music and the dance conveying
all necessary meaning. Some of Balanchine’s ballets
pay homage to his Russian heritage, including Ballet
Imperial (1941) and the Diamonds section of the three-act,
work Jewels (1967). While others proved provocative (The
Four 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 Vienna
Waltzes in 1977), all were achieved within his extended
framework of classical ballet.
“Dance can be enjoyed and understood without any verbal
introduction or explanation,” Balanchine said. “The important
thing in ballet is the movement itself, as it is sound
which is important in a symphony. A ballet may contain a
story, but the visual spectacle, not the story, is the essential
element.”
GEORGE BALANCHINE WITH IGOR STRAVINSKY IN REHEARSAL, CA. 1957. PHOTO BY MARTHA SWOPE.

Balanchine’s use of movement seems organically linked
with the music and the dancers’ bodies. His work is
always inventive and nothing superfluous is ever
included. It is as if no other step than the one choreographed
could possibly work within the structure of the
piece.
Balanchine created a distinctive vocabulary and style of
movement that closely reflects the structure of the music
he used. Commenting on Balanchine’s use of music,
dance critic Kenneth LaFave has noted: “Balanchine has
explored the interactions of music and dance with almost
every ballet, and has approached their combination
afresh countless times. Look at his ballets superficially
and they may seem to be illustrations of the music. Look
at them closely and they appear as they really are: works
that dance in the music, not merely to the beat.”
Watching a Balanchine ballet is like watching and hearing
a beautifully phrased conversation between dance
and music. The most exciting moment of a Balanchine
ballet is when you begin to “see the music and hear the
A NOTE ON GISELLE
One of the greatest and most revered choreographic
accomplishments of the Romantic era of ballet, Giselle has
enthralled audiences for generations and provided a
wealth of dramatic and technical challenges for many of
the world’s greatest ballerinas, for whom the title role is
one of the most demanding and fulfilling in the canon.
Giselle received its premiere at the Paris Opera on June
28, 1841. The title role of Giselle was performed by the
famous Romantic ballerina Carlotta Grisi, who that
evening celebrated her 22nd birthday. Lucien Petipa
(brother of the choreographer Marius) performed the role
of Albrecht. The ballet proved an instant success, and was
quite spectacular, with the Duke and Albrecht’s fiancée,
Bathilde, arriving at the village stage setting on horseback.
The original scenario was conceived by Jules Henri
Vernoy de Saint-Georges, a prolific librettist of the period,
and Théophile Gautier, a noted critic and poet. The choreography
was attributed to the Paris Opéra’s chief ballet
master, Jean Coralli, though dances for the leading role of
Giselle have since been accredited to the choreographer
Jules Perrot, who was Carlotta Grisi’s lover. The music
dancing.” Balanchine’s relationship with music
stemmed from his early childhood, when his musical
studies were as important as his dance training. His
understanding of musical theory, composition and playing
enabled him to develop intimate working
relationships with his composers. The National Ballet of
Canada’s late Artistic Director, Erik Bruhn, once noted:
“He unravelled the intricate structure and emotional
texture of music. Using the music of Bach, Mozart,
Tchaikovsky, and, of course, his close friend Igor
Stravinsky, Balanchine actually made ballet more aware
of its musical potential.”
Balanchine’s understanding of music allowed him to
reach into the inner life of the music. It is not the obvious
beat but the harmony in the music that motivates
the dance. Said Balanchine of his use of music previously
untouched by ballet choreographers: “If the dance
designer sees in the development of classical dancing a
counterpart in the development of music and has studied
them both, he will derive continual inspiration from
great scores.”
was specially composed for the ballet by Adolphe Adam.
Following its Paris premiere, Giselle was performed
throughout Europe and the United States and also
inspired a number of theatrical productions.
The National Ballet of Canada has had Giselle in its repertoire
since the company was founded in 1951. At the
company’s very first performance on November 12, 1951,
Lois Smith and David Adams performed the Peasant Pas
De Deux from Act I of Giselle. During the 1969/70 National
Ballet season, Peter Wright was invited by Celia Franca to
mount a new version of Giselle for the company. This new
production premiered on April 16, 1970 at Toronto’s
O’Keefe Centre (now renamed the Hummingbird Centre)
starring guest artists Lynn Seymour and Egon Madsen.
This highly praised production, with beautiful costumes
and scenery by famed designer Desmond Heeley, has
remained in the National Ballet’s active repertoire and has
been performed across Canada and around the world. In
1975, Giselle was filmed by director Norman Campbell for
the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The programme
featured Karen Kain and Frank Augustyn in the roles of
Giselle and Albrecht.
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,

GISELLE SYNOPSIS
Act I
The first act is set in a Rhineland valley surrounded by
vine-clad hills in medieval Germany. A majestic castle
looms in the distance over the valley. It is autumn and the
peasants are enjoying a rich harvest. Among the many
happy festivities is the crowning of the Queen of the
Vintage.
Giselle is a young peasant girl who lives with her mother,
Berthe. Their cottage is opposite one that has recently
been occupied by the handsome but mysterious Loys, a
peasant farmer. Loys is really Count Albrecht of Silesia,
who has disguised himself as a peasant in
order to win Giselle’s affections. Giselle
has fallen in love with Loys, but the
local forester Hilarion loves Giselle and
has always planned to marry her. Hilarion
is suspicious of Loys and thinks he is hiding
some secret.
Challenging Loys to a fight, Hilarion notices that Loys
immediately clasps his right hand to his left hip, as if he
were about to draw a sword. The astute Hilarion notes that
such an action would be the instinctive reaction of a nobleman.
Hilarion tries to warn Giselle that there is something
suspicious about Loys but she refuses to believe him.
Soon a royal hunting party appears in the village, led by
Albrecht’s father the Duke of Silesia and Countess
Bathilde, who is engaged to Albrecht. The village
welcomes the noble visitors. Giselle presents flowers to
the beautiful Bathilde. When it is revealed that Giselle is
engaged to be married, Bathilde gives Giselle a necklace
as a gift. While Bathilde and the Duke go to rest in
Giselle’s cottage, Hilarion breaks into Loys’ cottage and
discovers his sword, which bears the family crest of the
Duke of Silesia. He now has proof of Loys’ true identity.

During the festivities that follow, when Giselle is crowned
Queen of the Vintage, Hilarion challenges Loys and,
summoning the royal party, reveals Loys’ true identity.
Everyone is shocked and confused as they realize that
Loys is really Count Albrecht. Bathilde is shocked to see
her fiancé dressed as a peasant. She then tells everyone
that she is herself engaged to be married to the
duplicitous Albrecht.
When Giselle realizes that she has been deceived by
Albrecht, she is overcome by grief and quickly loses her
reason. Giselle recalls her moments of innocent happiness
with Albrecht, but then, in a frenzy of madness, she
thrusts Albrecht’s sword toward her heart and dies in her
mother’s arms. Albrecht runs off, filled with guilt and
despair for what he has done. Hilarion and the village
grieve for Giselle.
Act II
The scene opens in a moonlit forest glade near the grave
where Giselle has been buried. Since she took her own
life, Giselle has been laid to rest in un-hallowed ground,
unprotected from evil spirits. It is midnight and Hilarion
is keeping vigil, but when the forest becomes haunted by
Wilis (pronounced will-eez) he flees in terror. The Wilis
are the spirits of betrothed young women who have died
from grief after being
betrayed by faithless
lovers. Malicious in
nature, these ghostly,
nocturnal creatures are
ruled over by their queen,
Myrtha, and seek revenge by
forcing 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 melancholic
Albrecht arrives at Giselle’s grave to plead for
forgiveness. To his amazement, the ghost of the dead
Giselle appears before him and he follows her into the
forest. Hilarion returns to Giselle’s grave, this time to be
entrapped by the Wilis, who show him no mercy. After
forcing 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 to
doom him to the same fate as Hilarion. Giselle attempts to
save Albrecht, warning him that he will be able to
the Wilis if he clings to the cross on her grave, which he
does.
To have her revenge, the Queen of the Wilis forces
Albrecht 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 the
chimes of a distant church bell announce the arrival of
dawn.
The Wilis vanish and Giselle must return to her grave. But
as her love has transcended death, her spirit has now
been freed from the power of the Wilis. As the curtain
falls, Albrecht, forlorn and reflective, is left alone in his
sorrow.
GRETA HODGKINSON AND ALEKSANDAR ANTONIJEVIC IN GISELLE . PHOTOGRAPHER: CYLLA VON TIEDEMANN

LEITMOTIFS IN GISELLE
A leitmotif is a theme used recurrently to denote a
specific person, object or feeling, either through music or
movement. Giselle composer Adolphe Adam ingeniously
used musical leitmotifs in his score. Adam’s leitmotifs
were complemented by dance movement leitmotifs created
by choreographers Jules Perrot and Jean Coralli that
are still incorporated in the ballet today. The first act,
with its many mime scenes, is rich with accompanying
leitmotifs to assist in the plot development. A study of
the layers of themes and motifs in the dancing and music
in Giselle leads to a fascinating discovery of the nuances
that shape both the drama and mood of the ballet.
Giselle’s theme
There is one sequence of steps with accompanying music
that Giselle repeats at various key moments in the drama.
This series of ballonnes, piques and pas de basque
denotes Giselle’s love for dance. They are very simple
steps, light and airy, that reflect Giselle’s simple peasant
background and carefree existence. When Bathilde asks
Giselle what her favorite pastime is, Giselle executes this
series of steps, telling Bathilde, and the audience, that
she loves to dance.
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Phone: (416) 345-9686 Fax: (416) 345-8323
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Flower theme
The flower theme in which Giselle plucks the petals of a
daisy (“he loves me, he loves me not”) is performed twice,
once in a happy duet with Albrecht, and again in the mad
scene, as Giselle recalls her lover.
Huntsmen’s theme
The huntsmen’s theme is the sound of horns that always
precedes the arrival of the nobles and their hunting party
on to the stage.
Wili theme
The wili theme is first heard in Act I when Berthe,
Giselle’s mother, warns her about dancing too much; it
acts as a premonition of the tragedy that is to follow. The
theme is reintroduced in the second act with the arrival
of the wilis, who surround Hilarion on his visit to
Giselle’s grave.
Hilarion’s theme
You will know each time Hilarion is about to come on
stage, because his entrance is heralded by his own
distinct musical theme. For this music, Adolphe Adam
used an excerpt from the Fate theme of Ludwig van
Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony.
CHOREOGRAPHER SIR PETER WRIGHT REHEARSING ALEKSANDAR ANTONIJEVIC AND GRETA HODGKINSON IN GISELLE. PHOTOGRAPHER: CYLLA VON TIEDEMANN