Ballet Palm Beach Stages Romantic Classic

The county's premiere dance company will present Giselle at the Rinker Playhouse in West Palm Beach March 4-6

Lily Loveland as Giselle in Ballet Palm Beach's production of Giselle. Photo by Janine Harris
Lily Loveland as Giselle in Ballet Palm Beach’s production of Giselle. Photos by Janine Harris

Ballet Palm Beach will present the romantic masterpiece, Giselle, March 4-6, at the Rinker Playhouse at The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach. Tickets are $45 and are available here or by calling the Kravis Center box office at (561) 832-7469 or (800) 572-8471.

Since its Paris premiere in 1841, Giselle has become one of the most alluring and popular ballets of all time. Through stunning classical dance and music by Adolphe Adam, the ballet takes audiences through the emotions of romance, betrayal, and then forgiveness. It is a story of a young peasant girl, Giselle, who is seduced and betrayed by a prince named Albrecht. The betrayed Giselle goes mad and dies of a broken heart. Her spirit joins the supernatural Wilis—women scorned before their wedding days and doomed to take their revenge for eternity. In the end, Giselle forgives Albrecht and protects him from the vengeful Wilis.

The Wilis in Ballet Palm Beach's production of Giselle. Photo by Janine Harris
The Wilis in Ballet Palm Beach’s production of Giselle.

Giselle is one of the greatest ballet classics,” said Colleen Smith, Ballet Palm Beach’s artistic and executive director. “The role of Giselle requires brilliant dance technique. The dancer must transform from a naive peasant girl, experiencing the emotions of love, betrayal, and insanity, into an ethereal spirit. That’s a lot of emotions!”

Lily Loveland will dance the challenging and complex role of Giselle and Aaron Melendrez will dance the role of Albrecht. Other key roles include Myrtha, the unrelenting Queen of the Wilis, played by Madeleine Miller; and Hilarion, the suspicious gamekeeper, played by Aurelio Guimaraes.

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