A Giselle I Won't Forget

I have a very romantic view of how I would like to live my life. It involves an almost Toulouse Lautrec fantasy where I sit outside a brasserie, drinking an espresso, possibly even smoking a pipe and writing about ballet all day long. Unfortunately, this is 21st Century London and escaping the cosmopolitan daily commute and 9-5 schedule is quite difficult. Thus, this blog has taken a reluctant backseat to let the 9-5 work take over. Perhaps my fantasy will be more likely to be reached when I retire. It’s unfortunate this is being posted late, as I wanted to scream from the rooftops immediately after seeing Marianela Nunez and Vadim Muntagirov star in the Royal Ballet’s production of Giselle. What a thing to see. ‘Oh to have been there’ is something my children will say to me when I describe it to them and I will smugly repeat to them that I was there, that I was one of the lucky few to witness such an incredible performance. I think I found it especially enlightening, as I didn’t have the highest hopes with Nunez in this role. The first performance was unexpected as they had to step in at the last minute and I found Nunez a bit too knowing and maybe too grown up for the role. I told myself, however, that this was just their practice run and on second viewing I was completely taken with her…and of course, him. Vadim Muntagirov. Currently my two favourite ballet words. He’s so special and whoever decided to pair these two together is an absolute legend as their chemistry really was the stuff dreams are made of. I can’t actually praise this performance enough so get ready for a lot of over the top waffle about it which, if you were there, I’m sure you can relate to. For those who weren’t – sorry to annoy you even more.

It’s funny to think that Marianela Nunez can improve. She’s a worldwide star, recognised globally and adored for her talent, stamina and that heart-melting smile. She’s at the top of her game and can pretty much do anything so I found it strange watching such a big name get better before my eyes. Dancing with Vadim Muntagirov has brought something else out of her. A dancer with already so much talent, it took a partnership like this for her to give one of the greatest performances of her career. They dance so well with each other as they are both quintessentially classical dancers. They will be lovely in the rest of the classical ballets and their technique is completely on par with each other. Seeing them both in something a bit virtuoso would also be thrilling as they would be able to really shine. I don’t see them together in MacMillan (perhaps Romeo and Juliet) or modern productions, but they could certainly take over the world, yes the world, as a sublime classical partnership. I hope this can come to fruition.

Their portrayal in this ballet is clearly one of love. Vadim is too sweet to play an arrogant and selfish Albrecht which I think we all knew before the curtain rose. Instead, his Albrecht is young and in love, completely swept up by the human aspects of peasantry life. This wouldn’t work as well if it wasn’t for the fantastic acting provided by Christina Arestis as Bathilde and Gary Avis as Duke. Together they are gold in conveying the arrogance of the wealthy noblemen and women. Arestis is seen almost gagging when she is shown the animals caught in the hunt and she has perfected the upturned nose expression needed to make Bathilde a snobby aristocrat. Paired with Avis whose eye rolling and disgusted expression when faced with the peasant dancers was magnificently in keeping with aristocracy at that time, they both easily depict the world that Albrecht is unfortunately bound to. He cannot escape and duty calls. We feel as sorry for him as we do Giselle in this case and I think we are left feeling like his life is also wasted as he will spend his days married not only to an arrogant woman but also glued to a lifetime of courtly duties. Giselle sums up the freedom that he wished he had and Vadim’s purity really conveys this notion. Others, like Johan or Carlos, I feel were more on the selfish side when they danced Albrecht. They were more about getting Giselle into bed than they were about loving her. It’s important to note that this interpretation works very well too, but perhaps doesn’t leave you as emotionally drained at the end (I was often more saddened that Hilarion had to die than Albrecht in previous casts I’ve seen!) But with Vadim, you are routing for him from the start. He was born into the nobility and clearly doesn’t want to be a part of it, so when he is left walking sadly alone at the end, I find myself thinking that he has to live for the rest of his days in an environment which he can’t escape. Perhaps that is the real tragedy.

There was so much to love in this performance. First and foremost is the quality of the dancing. Both Nunez and Muntagirov are gifted in their craft and both have the type of virtuoso talent that really blossoms in this choreography. Each leap seemed to pause in the air, the height breath taking. Each turn and lift powerful and strong but always graceful and in keeping with their characters. I felt like they could have danced non-stop for days such is their energy and stamina. Although there is a beautiful story in Giselle, it is the choreography which really holds it together so watching it being danced by such gifted dancers (this also includes the rest of the cast) brought it up to a different level. Normally I like my Albrechts to have that arrogant exterior as I think it works better to drive Giselle into madness, but with Muntagirov, it somehow all works. Nunez has a stellar mad scene which actually made a lot of sense here. I didn’t feel like she was having a nervous breakdown, that she needed to check in to the Priory or that someone must have knocked her on the head (I’m afraid this is how I feel after some more OTT mad scenes), but she was unnervingly calm, alert, and it’s clear that her Giselle knows exactly what’s happening. It all seems to dawn on her- she can never be with Albrecht due to her position in society. Her mad scene is more a scene of heartbreak and a realisation that she can never be more than a lowly peasant. Sometimes the mad scene can look dated or very of its time, but here, Nunez brings it into the present and I thought to myself, actually this isn’t far off how I would react if I was in her position. The only difference being, I’d probably be reaching for a large glass of red and typing frantically on my girls only Whatsapp group, bitching about the situation.

It’s the second act which really tugs on the heart strings and I should mention that I heard clear and loud tears drop on the Opera House floor during their pas de deux. I loved the way Muntagirov is so full of passion, collapsing on Giselle’s grave once it’s all over. There’s something about his face, the way he expresses himself on stage, paired with those heart breaking strings, that brings tears to my eyes. She was exquisite technically, but also never left character, breathing the greatest sigh of relief, eyes full of water, body relieved when dawn breaks and she realises that her love can walk free. All of these passionate touches elevated the performance and I finally saw Giselle: the love story, rather than Giselle: the heartbroken psycho.

I am unfairly only really mentioning the leads in this performance but I’d also like to comment on how much I enjoy Itziar Mendizabal’s dancing and how she is perfectly suited to dance Myrtha. She’s fierce, strong and her sharp look is frightening when she possesses the stage. She’s lovely in this and captures the brutality of Myrtha’s character. The pas de six were also fabulous, turning what I think is the only lull in the ballet into an enjoyable part of the first act and of course, the Wilis, without whom we wouldn’t have a ballet. I will always go as far as to say that their part in the ballet is my favourite, and I admire the determination and hard work which goes in to making them the most beautiful girl group in the world.

If I could watch this cast every night, I think I probably would. And I believe it’s possible – I’m calling out to have this put on DVD so that obsessed fans like me can watch it over and over again. On those nights where the 9-5 does take over, it would be nice to know that I could go home and watch something so special at the end of the day.