#theballet

Act I A young Count is in love with a peasant girl, Giselle. As he is disguised in peasant clothes Giselle takes him for a young man fr om a nearby village. A gamekeeper is also in love with Giselle. He tries to prove that Giselle’s lover is not the man he pretends to be. But Giselle will not listen. The gamekeeper intrudes into the cottage wh ere the young Count changed his clothes and finds the Count’s sword. The sound of horns signifies that the hunters are coming. The Count’s betrothed and her father are among them. The noble lady is charmed by Giselle and gives the pretty peasant her necklace. At the height of the peasants’ feast the gamekeeper appears. He accuses the Count of deceit and shows the Count’s sword as a proof. Giselle doesn’t believe it. The gamekeeper blows the horn and the Count’s betrothed greets the abashed Count. Giselle shocked by her lover’s deceit goes mad and dies.

The first act

The first scene The tribe buries its leader. A prosperous Sak Frada and the wife of the leader Tomiris claim the throne. With the support of his supporters, Frada enters into an argument with Tomiris, which the people want to see as a queen. In a tough fight Tomiris defeats Frada. Sak people proclaim her as their mistress.

Second scene King of Persia Cyrus rests in his summer residence. Frada, who betrayed his people, informs the king that one of his satrapies declared independence. The ruler of the world is furious. He is ready to go immediately to the insurgent tribe. But Frada tells him about the beauty of the Queen of Saks, and the “king of kings”, not yet seeing Tomiris, fell in love with her. The priests propose to resolve the dispute peacefully. Cyrus sends a large embassy led by Frada to the Queen of Saks. He should give her rich gifts and a crown as a sign of proposal to Tomiris to become the wife of the Persian king.

The third scene Spargapa appears. He is surrounded by boys and girls, and Rayyada – the beloved of Spargapa is among them. In a merry dance, Rayyada wants to captivate Spargapa, but Tomiris stops them. Spargapa introduces Tomiris to Rayyada. The Queen blesses her son and his bride. Wedding party of Spargapa and Rayyada is in full swing. Tomiris is happy. Suddenly, the fun is interrupted by the emergence of Persian ambassadors, and the traitor Frada is among them. He sends the queen a proposal to share the bed with the "king of kings" and presents his gift - a golden crown. Tomiris is tormented by conflicting feelings: she’s seduced by the desire to be the wife of the “king of kings”, but she also understands that to accept the crown is to betray her people, which will fall into Cyrus’s cruel dependence, and to refuse the proposal means to enter the war. Tomiris decides on the latter in the name of the freedom of his people.

The second act

The fourth scene Cyrus is waiting for an answer of Tomiris. Ambassadors return, and Frada gives Cyrus the crown, rejected by the Queen of Saks. An angry Cyrus severely punishes Frada and takes an immediate decision - to go to war with the Saks tribe and subdue its proud queen Tomiris by force. Warriors solemnly hand to Cyrus a sword - a symbol of war.

The fifth scene Rayyada and Spargapa are alone. Carried away, they run into the forward detachments of the Persian troops and are captured by them. The Persian king rejoices: now fate itself gives the Sak queen to his hands. Cyrus hands Rayyada an amulet plucked from Spargapa's chest - a gift of his mother, which the girl must hand over to Tomiris. Sak Amazons break in, a bloody battle begins. The battle is interrupted by the appearance of Tomiris. Cyrus throws the captive Spargapa at her feet. Tomiris is in despair, she can save her son only at the cost of her submission to Cyrus. But Spargapa decides his own fate himself - he grabs a dagger and commits suicide. Mother's grief is inconsolable. But the feeling of hatred for the murderer stirred up huge forces in Tomiris. She courageously engages in battle with Cyrus, and the “king of kings,” defeated in a fierce battle, falls at the feet of Tomiris.

This is the first and the original version of Giselle, one of the first performances in Paris.

Act 1

Village in the mountains, surrounded by the forests and vineyards. Bertha and her daughter Giselle live in the farmhouse. Farmers are going to gather grapes. The girls are welcoming their friend Giselle.

The forester Hans appears. He wants to break the happiness of Giselle and the guy, living at the hunting box. Hans disappears, count Albert in the peasant dress and his squire Wilfred are leaving the hunting box. Albert came to the date with Giselle. Wilfred tries to talk him out of the date, but Albert disagrees, knock at the door and hides. Giselle exits her house, sees nobody and wants to go back. Albert appears, touches Giselle’s hand. Their dance turns to the love scene. Suddenly Hans appears. He assures Giselle in his love, but Albert kicks him away.

Giselle’s friends return from the vineyards. They are dancing altogether, and Albert dances with them with pleasure.

Bertha goes out the farmhouse and stops the dances. She reminds Giselle, that she can not dance so much, as she has heart illness.

Hans returns. Wounded by Giselle’s refusal, he decides to reveal Albert’s secret and enters his house. The hunting party is getting back with the Duke and his daughter Batilda, Albert’s bride.

Tired by the hunting, they decide to have a rest. The Duke asks Bertha and Giselle to bring them some drinks. Batilda is charmed by Giselle’s beauty and presets her the necklace. Noble guests go to have a rest. Suddenly Hans appears, holding the count’s sword – evidence of Albert’s noble origins.

The farmers are celebrating the harvest. During the celebrations Hans appears and shows everybody Albert’s sword. Giselle ask the explanation. Albert starts fighting with Hans, but Wilfred stops him. Hans bugles. Batilda with the escort appears. She is surprised to see Albert in peasant dress. Albert kisses her hand.

Giselle understands that she was decepted by oaths of love. Batilda shows her wedding ring – she is Albert’s bride. Shocked Giselle remembers all the oaths, words of love, dances and dies.

Act 2

The Wilis see the forester, who came to Giselle’s tomb, exhausted by the conscience. They are circling him in the magic dance until the death by their mistress Mirtha order.

Albert also comes to Giselle’s tomb during the night. The Willis surround him, the faith of the forester threatens Albert, but the shadow of Giselle, who conserved her love to Albert, appears, and saves Albert from the Wilis’ anger.

Act I The garden of the Sovereign Princess’s castle. While the young people disport themselves on the lawn, the jester amuses the guests with his antics and girls dance with their companions. The Princess informs her son Siegfried that at tomorrow’s ball he is to choose a fiancée from among the girls invited to the castle. Siegfried’s heart remains closed to her words, as he hasn’t yet known love. Night falls. The young people depart. Siegfried is overcome by conflicting emotions: he regrets the end of his freewheeling life while, at the same time, dreams of a pure, ideal lov e. But where is this girl to be found? Siegfried is bored by the conversation with his friends. A flock of swans catches Siegfried’s attention and he follows them.

Act II The swans lead Siegfried to a lake, deep in a dark and wild wood. At the lake, the swans dance in a fairy circle. Siegfried catches sight of a beautiful swan which then turns into a girl. This is Odette, the Queen of Swans. The Evil Genius has placed her and her friends under a spell: the swan maidens can now become girls only at night. Only the love of a young man who has never promised himself to a woman can release them from the spell. Siegfried, full of love for Odette, swears that he will love her and be faithful to her forever. The Evil G enius overhears Siegfried and Odette’s conversation. Daybreak. The girls turn back into swans. Siegfried, convinced of his feelings, will save Odette from the Evil Genius.

Act III The ball at the Sovereign Princess’ castle at which Siegfried is to select his fiancée. The guests arrive at the party but Siegfried is nowhere to be seen. The jester begins his amusing dances and the guests start dancing too. Siegfried appears, yet he treats the prospective fiancées icily: he’s thinking only of the beautiful Odette. A stranger arrives at the ball. It is the Evil Genius in disguise. He has brought his daughter Odile with him; she is strikingly reminiscent of Odette. The Evil Genius tells her to enchant Siegfried and make him swear eter nal love. The Prince doesn’t recognize the Evil Genius and mistakes Odile for Odette. He declares Odile as his chosen bride. The Evil Genius is triumphant: Siegfried’s vow to Odette has been broken and, as a result, she will die. He points to an image of Odette that appears in the distance and departs with Odile. Siegfried realizes that he has been deceived and rushes in despair to the lake.