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American Ballet Theatre—America’s National Ballet Company®—returns to Northrop for two performances of the beloved classic, Giselle. The epitome of Romantic ballet, this heart-rending tale of love, remorse, and forgiveness perfectly fuses live music, movement, and drama. The role of Giselle requires an exquisite dancer with daring dramatic and technical skills to create a compelling portrait of the innocent, noble village maiden. In this universally acclaimed production, ABT’s unrivaled roster of international ballet stars brings Giselle‘s mystery and ethereal beauty to vivid life. Live orchestra provided by STRINGenius.
Northrop Featured Cast Announced!
Fri, Apr 18:
- Gillian Murphy as Giselle. The acclaimed Murphy has been a Principal Dancer with American Ballet Theatre since 2002 and is the Company’s longest-standing current dancer. The Northrop starring role will mark her last Twin Cities performance and second-to-last U.S. engagement before her farewell season with ABT. Murphy will take her final bow in the U.S. on Fri, Jul 18, at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.
- Principal Dancer James Whiteside as Albrecht (replacing Thomas Forster).
- Soloist Fangqi Li as Myrta.
Sat, Apr 19: Featuring two stunning debuts!
- Principal Dancer Chloe Misseldine will make her debut as Giselle.
- Principal Dancer Calvin Royal III as Albrecht (replacing Aran Bell).
- Soloist SunMi Park in her first performance as Myrta.
Related Links
Quotes / Reviews
“An exquisite performance by one of the world’s best companies.”—Lincoln Journal Star
“The Wilis...were extremely well-rehearsed, beautifully in sync and mysteriously quiet; they seemed to be dancing on moss.”—Dance View Times
“The overall performance proved once again that Giselle, which has been making people cry since 1841, is still alive.”—Dance View Times
“Giselle remains ABT’s crown jewel.”—Bachtrack
“Audience was held in rapt silence during American Ballet Theatre’s transporting production of Giselle.”—Washington Classical Review
Related Event
Learn More - Explore These Themes
The content below derives from the Northrop Across Campus Program that supports Northrop's mission towards intersections between performing arts and education for the benefit of all participants now and for generations to come.
Find ways to make thematic connections to these suggested topics:
Music: Classical, Live performance, Orchestral
Dance: Ballet
Death and Mourning
Gender Studies
Middle Ages Studies
European History
European Art
Take a deeper dive with these resources that provide additional information about the performers, the history of the art form, and the artistic process.
Links:
ABT – American Ballet Theatre website
Dance View Times: “Daisies Don't Lie,” ABT review
History of ABT Production of Giselle
Start a conversation about the performance or encourage reflection, using these questions as inspiration.
Susan Jaffe, named "America's Quintessential American Ballerina" by The New York Times, enjoyed a career as a principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre (ABT) for 22 years, and now serves as ABT's artistic director and interim executive director. Under her leadership, “American Ballet Theatre is considered one of the greatest dance companies in the world, revered as a living national treasure since its founding in 1939. Few ballet companies rival ABT in size, scope, and outreach.”
- What are the advantages and challenges of creating art as an internationally and historically renowned arts institution?
- How has ballet evolved over the eight decades of ABT history? What could ballet look like in another eighty years?
According to Giselle: A History of ABT Productions, “Giselle is one of the oldest continually performed ballets, having had its world premiere on June 28, 1841 at the Theatre de l’Academie Royale de Musique in Paris … Since then, this ballet has entered the repertoire of almost all of the major ballet companies in the world.”
- Why do some stories have staying power? Why do you imagine a story like Giselle is still being told?
- What do you imagine brought audiences to live performances in 1841? What about audiences in 2024?
- What aspects of Giselle do you think have motivated choreographers to create alternate settings and narratives for the story? If you were adapting Giselle today, what further changes would you make and why?
This production will feature a walk-on cast of supernumeraries—or supers—who are background characters used to help create full and lively scenes during full-length ballets.
- How do supernumeraries contribute to a ballet performance's overall aesthetic and narrative? Can their presence alter the audience’s perception of the main dancers and the storyline?
- Evaluate the impact of supernumeraries on audience engagement and reception. Can supernumeraries create a greater sense of community during a performance?
Acknowledgments
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
The ABT performances are sponsored by PNC Bank, RBC Wealth Management, and hospitality partner Graduate Hotel Minneapolis.
The Encore Gala is sponsored by PNC Bank, RBC Wealth Management, Graduate Hotel Minneapolis, and Grand Jeté.