Product Details

• Actors: Anna Tsygankova, Jozef Varga, Igone de Jongh, Jan Zerer, Michele Jimenez
• Writers: Adolphe Adam
• Format: Classical, Color, Dolby
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Kultur Video
• DVD Release Date: January 26, 2010
• Run Time: 114 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B002VR9QXW
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #98,402 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Giselle is a dramatic and timeless tale of love, deception, revenge and forgiveness. An enchanting classical ballet from the Romantic era, Giselle was first performed in 1841. The ballet's combination of dramatic acting, virtuoso technique and ethereal beauty continues to enthrall audiences around the world. Dutch National Ballet's new production, by the creative partnership of Rachel Beaujean and Ricardo Bustamante, is based on the original ballet by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot. With additional choreography by Beaujean and Bustamante, atmospheric designs by Toer van Schayk and a captivating international cast, this Giselle will make a beautiful addition to every ballet-lover's collection. Recorded live at the Muziektheater Amsterdam, in February 2009, in High Definition and surround sound.

Cast list:
Giselle: Anna Tsygankova
Count Albrecht: Jozef Varga
Myrtha: Igone de Jongh
Hilarion: Jan Zerer
Pas de quatre: Michele Jimenez, Maia Makhateli, Mathieu Gremillet, Arthur Shesterikov
Zulme: Anu Viheriäranta
Moyna: Emanouela Merdjanova
Bathilde: Natasja Lucassen
Berthe: Jeanette Vondersaar

'At the premiere Tsygankova triumphed: incredible how she uses her rock-solid control to suggest the embodiment of lightness.' - NRC Handelsblad

'Tsygankova is well-matched by the powerful dancing of Jozef Varga, who perfectly inhabited the role of Count Albrecht.' - De Volkskrant

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New classical production, September 1, 2010

By 

Andrin K. (Germany) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Giselle / Dutch National Ballet (DVD)

This DVD preserves a performance by the Dutch National Ballet that took place in February 2009. Their Giselle was then a new production by Rachel Beaujean und Riccardo Bustamante (and considering that such productions usually stay in the repertory for a long time, it is still very new). The beautiful designs by Toer van Schayk look like 19th century paintings with their careful choice of colour and use of light. The painted backdrop for the first act shows the Rhine (in particular, the region between Bonn and Koblenz where there are hills and castles on both sides), a river that was a source of inspiration for romantic poets and travelers.
Although the stage designs are quite detailed (Giselle's hut has a gate), the Amsterdam stage itself is so spacious it never looks cluttered. The two sides of the Romantic era are conveyed exemplarily as the first act looks warm, sunny and folksy whereas the second act is closer to the dark, gothic atmosphere of some of Heinrich Heine's poetry. I especially liked the first entrance of the wilis and the way they form a circle around Myrtha like a sinister sisterhood, supported by very effective positioning of the camera somewhere high up. The wilis here also keep on their veils longer, which adds to the ghostly, spectral atmosphere.
If you have seen other performances of this ballet you will probably notice that in the first act there is a peasant pas de quatre and not a pas de deux like they have in Paris and Milan, or a pas de six (Royal Ballet). It gives more than two dancers the chance to shine and supports the idea of the village being a community, thus plausibly dealing with the problem that I always thought comes up when there is a Peasant Pas de Deux: who are these people and why do they dance this divertissement. (The Peasant Pas de Deux with music by Friedrich Burgmüller was interpolated into the first act before the ballet's original premiere for a ballerina who was the mistress of an influential patron of the Paris Opéra.) I love the "flute" variation danced by the second female dancer in the pas de quatre and would have liked to know if that piece is also by Burgmüller.
Another important piece of additional choreography is the new solo for Albrecht towards the end of the first act, which he dances immediately before Giselle's own variation. The music for Albrecht's solo is taken from another ballet by Adolphe Adam, Le Diable à Quatre.
Hilarion in this production is a young man close in age to Giselle who is passionately in love with her - when Albrecht attacks him after Giselle has died, he doesn't try to defend himself. He reminds me of the protagonist in Schubert's "Die Schöne Müllerin" or the Romantic rural figures in the works of Joseph Eichendorff, whereas Albrecht with his split identity maybe is a more modern character.
The DVD has an Extra consisting of interviews with the lead dancers Anna Tsygankova (Giselle), Jozef Varga (Albrecht), Igone de Jongh (Myrtha) and Jan Zerer (Hilarion) as well as with Rachel Beaujean and Riccardo Bustamante. They tell us their opinions about their respective characters in the ballet. Is Albrecht a cad? Jozef Varga thinks he isn't. He plays him as being genuinely in love with Giselle, but also as someone who as an aristocrat "never had to do anything like work, never had to lift a bench" and therefore is a stranger in the village community who watches people and their customs from a certain distance. I wish ballet conventions would leave more room to develop such things.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fluidly marvelous!, December 14, 2010

By 

Esteban Molina "soaringpiglet" (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Giselle / Dutch National Ballet (DVD)

I own many performances of "Giselle" but this is, by far, my favorite. It's possible to find a DVD performance with a more stellar touch here or there; but, overall, this performance is as close to perfection in all aspects of production as one is likely to find. High praise, I know, but I think it's merited.

There is an overall "ensemble" feel to this performance. Everyone seems to be operating at the same level of excellence and commitment and on the same "wave" as to interpretation. The synchronization of the corps - whether manifested by a single couple, several couples together or the whole company - is exceptional. Quite honestly, I have seen productions by world-famous companies (no names mentioned) which fall far, far below the standards exhibited by this company. If they dance like this all the time, they should be at the top of anyone's list!

Not only are they together as a group, but there is a singular grace and ease to their dancing that one doesn't always see. They are, in fact, so unified in style and execution that one can easily overlook just how wonderful they are. They make it seem so easy and normative that one forgets how exceptional what they do really is. I wish I knew more about the different national "schools"; but there is something about this performance as a whole and in the individual style of each dancer which reminds me of Russia. There isn't a moment of stiffness in anything they do, no matter how complicated; easeful, fluid grace is the best I can do as a description, and they seem to enjoy what they're doing. If the steps are racking them with pain, there is not the slightest indication of it for the audience.

If you want a minus, then I single out the boorish behaviour of the audience, especially in Act 2, for special note. Seldom have I heard such disrespect from an audience for its fellows or for the artists as this one manifests. What do I mean? Coughing. My god, you'd think the whole performance had been filmed in a tubercular ward. But even with that the performance is so magical that one can forget such behavioural interruptions.

I could go on and on, but suffice it to say that, once I've watched a DVD of Giselle, I normally skip over all but the beginning and ending of Act 1 and go straight to the real glory, Act 2. BUT...in the case of this performance, I have found myself watching the whole of Act 1 because it was just so very lovely, graceful and joyful to watch. What more can I say? I suppose you might not like this performance, so individual is preference; but I find it hard to believe in this case that anyone will be disappointed in owning such a "Giselle".

Highest marks. Really, it's special. Buy it!

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A second act revelation, August 20, 2010

By 

Balletomane - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Giselle / Dutch National Ballet (DVD)

I've read elsewhere that this is an 'old-fashioned' version of the much loved classic and the first act is certainly what you would expect.Jolly villagers cavort in a bucolic setting in the usual way and the betrayal of Giselle is expertly played out by Tsygankova and Varga who are beautiful to watch.The mad scene is heart-wrenching and although some camerawork is too far from the action conversely there are fewer close-ups of perspiring dancers (thank goodness) so it all works as a well-produced piece.Having several versions of the work I thought this one was developing well,until the second act which confirmed my reasons for buying the dvd after seeing it streamed on a website.Finally there was a Myrtha (Igone de Jongh) who not only looks the part but plays it as the icy cold Queen of the Wilis she is meant to be.No matronly leader of lost girls here- for although impressive grand jetes floated her across the stage,even better was the intensity she put into the characterisation of the role.This was a Myrtha totally implacable and inflexible which made the appeals by Giselle even more despairing and moving as she attempts to save Albrecht.So the drama is played out with the background corps de ballet moving well and being given loud applause by an appreciative audience.Anna Tsygankova and Jozef Varga are flawless,Hilarion again catches our sympathy and dies well to round out an exceptional second act which is enough in itself to buy this version.The additions and changes to music and choreography didn't interfere thankfully while the 5.1 surround sound is what we've come to expect so if you want to see how the second act should be done, this is the version to have.And as a bonus- how interesting it is to see interviews of the principals compared to their stage personas !