Location: Houston Ballet

Giselle is known as a powerful, full-length ballet that is popular with the Houston patrons and coveted by ballet dancers. Houston Ballet caps its 2015-16 season with a lavish new production of Giselle, opening June 9th and  staged by Stanton Welch. This is Houston Ballet’s  first new production of this great work in over three decades. This ballet debuted in 1841 in Paris and was immediately declared a triumph. In Giselle, the supreme example of 19th century balletic Romanticism, a beautiful peasant girl is deceived in love by an aristocrat disguised as a commoner. Love, betrayal, and redemption play out with stunning simplicity.

Stanton Welch, Artistic Director, has staged a magnificent new production with new sets and costumes. I recently got to meet with Houston Ballet’s Wardrobe Manager, Laura Lynch to get a little sneak peek at the Giselle costumes. Houston Ballet once again engaged the amazing renowned Italian designer Roberta Guidi Di Bagno to create these masterful new costumes and sets. You all remember what she recently did for our Romeo and Juliet.. Need I say anything more!?! This stunning array includes sophisticated, refined fabrics and rich color palettes. All of these costumes are made in-house, with even the delicate organzas being dyed in-house. No one has a better eye for fine fabrics than this lady and no wardrobe department works harder than Houston Ballet’s.

Stanton Welch is still including most of the classic choreography, but has returned to the original score by Adolphe Adam, instead of the hybrids which have developed over the years. There will be more dancers and more roles in this newly staged version. Giselle contains many demanding roles that test dancers’ technical ability and acting ability. You don’t want to miss this classic favorite and Houston world premier.

Giselle runs July 9th-19th. You can purchase tickets at www.houstonballet.org