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

Ayako Ono as Giselle and Yudai Fukuoka as Albrecht in Giselle

Akari Yoshida as Myrtha, Yoshito Kinoshita as Hilarion and National Ballet of Japan in Giselle

Akari Yoshida as Myrtha in Giselle

By Naomi Mori, 16 April 2025

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“her musical phrasing combined with precise footwork, reflected her eternal love for Albrecht”

Reviewed at New National Theatre, Tokyo: Opera House, Tokyo on 10 April 2025

Giselle (Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot, Marius Petipa, Alastair Marriott, Miyako Yoshida)

National Ballet of Japan

Paul Murphy, Conductor

Misato Tomita, Conductor

Miyako Yoshida, Director

Dick Bird, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Rick Fisher, Lighting Designer

Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra

Ayako Ono, Dancer

Yudai Fukuoka, Dancer

Yoshito Kinoshita, Dancer

Yui Negishi, Dancer

Akari Yoshida, Dancer

Yui Yonezawa, 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.

*****

ENB in Mary Skeaping's Giselle: authentic, exquisite dancing

Amanda Jennings, 15th January

English National Ballet give a meticulous account of Mary Skeaping's glorious Giselle.

*****

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Naomi Mori

Naomi is a blogger living in Tokyo and travels frequently to see ballet. She is a law graduate of Waseda University and a former film publicist, film critic and IT business researcher/strategist. She blogs at La Dolce Vita in Japanese. She tweets about ballet as @naomip_86. and takes ballet class regularly