Adam: Giselle (DVD) – The Royal Ballet

Composer: Adolphe Adam
Artists: Alina Cojocaru, David Drew, Martin Harvey, Johan Kobborg, Marianela Nuñez, The Royal Ballet, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Choreographer: Marius Petipa
Conductor: Boris Gruzin
Director: Peter Wright
Format: NTSC
Language: English
Region: All Regions
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Number of Discs: 1
Studio: Opus Arte
DVD Release Date: October 28, 2008
Run Time: 112 minutes

Giselle is the quintessential Romantic ballet. Its title role, one of the most technically demanding and emotionally challenging in the classical repertory, is here danced by Alina Cojocaru, partnered by Johan Kobborg as Count Albrecht. This tale of the transcendental power of love over death is evocatively portrayed through Peter Wright’s sensitive staging and John Macfarlane’s designs, which beautifully contrast the human and supernatural worlds – mastered from a High Definition recording and true surround sound.

“Cojocaru’s interpretation, everyone seems to agree, is one of the greatest of all time...One of the things which makes Cojocaru so poignant in this role is a quality that one senses in the dancer herself. Something in the emotional charge of her performances, some fragility beneath the ballerina steel, emphasizes the ephemeral nature of the art form. It reminds us that we must seize the day.” (The Observer)

“The Royal Ballet’s recent triumphs continue with this exquisite Giselle. Beguiling actress-dancer Alina Cojocaru embraces both Act I’s sweet rural girl and the tragic ghost of Act II.” (BBC Music Magazine)

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