Ruth Leon recommends… Akram Khan’s Giselle – English National Ballet
Ruth Leon recommendsAkram Khan’s Giselle – English National Ballet
Click here to rent
It’s a risky business, rethinking one of the most classical classics of classical ballet but Akram Khan did it at the end of last year to almost deafening international plaudits. He took a masterpiece of 19th century ballet, Giselle, and made it into a masterpiece of 21st century dance.
The original ballet by choreographers Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot, with music by Adolphe Adam, premiered in Paris on 28 June 1841 with Italian star ballerina Carlotta Grisi as Giselle. It was an unqualified triumph. It became hugely popular and was staged at once across Europe, Russia, and the United States. It has never since been out of the repertoire and any ballet company worth it’s salt performs it regularly.
To quote my favourite American expression, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, why would anyone want to mess with the masterpiece which Giselle undoubtedly is? Akram Khan isn’t just anyone. One of the most original and celebrated choreographers of international dance with a dance language rooted in the classic and ancient Indian dance style, Kathak, his mostly successful experiments in crossing between many different variants of the arts – visual, musical, emotional – culminate in this total rethinking of one of the most romantic of all 19th century icons and its story of love, betrayal and redemption.
It says a great deal for English National Ballet’s forward-thinking administration, particularly that of its then-artistic director, Tamara Rojo, that this most traditional company were willing to countenance what many believed would be a travesty of a universally accepted work of art.
The result is a triumph.
As the curtain rises, dancers in shadow push against a large wall. From that moment on, Akram Khan’s Giselle stuns with powerful images and mesmerising choreography.
Tim Yip’s sets and costumes and Mark Henderson’s atmospheric lighting conjure up a condemned factory and the vengeful ghosts that appear in its shadows.
Vincenzo Lamagna’s score is adapted from Adolphe Adam’s original, and performed by English National Ballet Philharmonic.
Akram Khan’s Giselle is now available to rent online. £7.99
Having seen this production in Bristol recently, I thought it was a classic example of style over substance. I’m all for new interpretations, but please don’t expect me to be fooled by pretentious reviews like this one. It’s too easy to be a sheep in the misguided flock.
I went to see Giselle on Tuesday, it was absolutely fantastic in every way.