Mary Skeaping's Giselle makes a welcome return to the Coliseum

Katja Khaniukova as Giselle and Laura Hussey as Berthe in Mary Skeaping's Giselle

Katja Khaniukova as Giselle and Aitor Arrieta as Albrecht in Mary Skeaping's Giselle

English National Ballet in Act 2 of Mary Skeaping's Giselle

Aitor Arrieta as Albrecht in Mary Skeaping's Giselle

By Jonathan Gray, 14 January 2024

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“I was struck forcibly by how the restored mime scenes help explain the story better”

Reviewed at The London Coliseum, London on 11 January 2024

Giselle (Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot, Mary Skeaping)

English National Ballet

Gavin Sutherland, Conductor

Mary Skeaping, Director

David Walker, Set Designer

Charles Bristow, Lighting Designer

English National Ballet Philharmonic

David Mohr, Lighting Designer

Katja Khaniukova, Dancer

Aitor Arrieta, Dancer

Alison McWhinney, Dancer

Ivana Bueno, Dancer

Daniel McCormick, Dancer

Sangeun Lee, Dancer

Gareth Haw, Dancer

Precious Adams, Dancer

Victor Prigent, Dancer

Julia Conway, Dancer

Junor Souza, Dancer

Fabian Reimair, Dancer

A new Albrecht makes a polished Giselle shine even brighter

Deborah Weiss, 7th March

A last minute injury to Natalia Osipova does not mar the magic of Sir Peter Wright's Giselle as Marianela Núñez steps in to partner Patricio Revé.

****1

A Valentine’s Day Giselle in Atlanta: Romantic excellence

Rebecca Ehrhardt, 14th February

A lovely production of Giselle by the increasingly good and ever-growing Atlanta Ballet.

****1

The RB: Peter Wright’s Giselle is as near perfection as you can get

Amanda Jennings, 14th February

Sir Peter Wright’s Giselle was given a well-deserved, thunderous ovation on opening night. A near perfect rendition of the ballet from all quarters of the Company was deeply satisfying.

*****

National Ballet of Japan’s Giselle: a triumphant London debut

Graham Watts, 24th July

National Ballet of Japan offer a 21st-century remake of this 19th-century Romantic classic with impeccable performances.

*****

American Ballet Theatre: Super-Giselle lives up to the hype (mostly)

Ivy Lin, 21st June

ABT's Giselle was the kind of glamorous, old-school ABT night of yore. You sensed the entire company leveled up for the occasion. One hopes that Smirnova will return in the future.

*****

National Ballet of Japan's revival of Giselle: a dramatic return

Naomi Mori, 10th April

National Ballet of Japan has revived their production of Giselle, ahead of their tour to the Royal Opera House in London, replicating the triumphant success it had in 2022.

*****

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Jonathan Gray

Jonathan Gray was born in Wales and studied at The Royal Ballet School, Leicester Polytechnic and Wimbledon School of Art. He was a member of the curatorial department of The Theatre Museum, London, from 1989 until 2005, and was editor of Dancing Times from 2008 until its closure in 2022.