LNOBT's Giselle: a memorable send off for a much loved ballerina

Francesco Gabriele Frola as Albrecht and Jurgita Dronina as Giselle in Giselle

Jurgita Dronina as Giselle in Lithuanian National Ballet's Giselle

Francesco Gabriele Frola as Albrecht and Jurgita Dronina as Giselle in Giselle

Francesco Gabriele Frola as Albrecht in Giselle with Lithuanian National Ballet

By Graham Watts, 13 January 2025

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“cries from the audience in a clear sign of affection for the country’s most prized cultural asset”

Reviewed at Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre, Vilnius on 11 January 2025

Giselle (Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot, Lola de Ávila)

Lithuanian National Ballet

Raffaele Del Savio, Set Designer

Soledad Sesena del Moral, Costume Designer

Levas Kleinas, Lighting Designer

Jurgita Dronina, Dancer

Francesco Gabriele Frola, 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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Graham Watts

Graham Watts is a freelance dance writer and critic writing regularly for Dancing Times, Dance Europe, Danza Europa, and many more publications. He regularly writes features for Sadler’s Wells, London Coliseum and La Scala. Chairman of the Dance Section of the Critics’ Circle in the United Kingdom and of the UK National Dance Awards he has interviewed many of the greatest names in dance including Maya Plisetskaya, Vladimir Vasiliev, Boris Eifman, Alexei Ratmansky, Andris Liepa, Sir Peter Wright, David Bintley and Dame Gillian Lynne. When not involved in dance Graham is a keen fencer, and has captained the British Sabre team.

Lithuanian National Ballet's Giselle: a memorable send off for a much loved ballerina