Akram Khan’s Giselle Recorded at the Liverpool Empire Running time: 1 hour, 55 minutes Seeing his fiancée Bathilde among 28 October 2017 including one 10 minute interval them, Albrecht tries to hide. Directed for the screen by Giselle recognizes the fine dress Ross MacGibbon Cast worn by Bathilde as the product of herown factory labour. English National Ballet Philharmonic Giselle Tamara Rojo The Outcasts dance for the Conductor Landlords until Albrecht and Hilarion Gavin Sutherland Albrecht disturb the Ceremony with their James Streeter conflict. Bathilde’s father confronts Leader Albrecht, forcing him to return to Matthew Scrivener Hilarion Bathilde and to their world. Jeffrey Cirio Direction and Choreography When he submits and returns to Akram Khan Bathilde Bathilde, Giselle is driven mad Composition and Sound Design Begoña Cao with grief. The Landlord gives a by Vincenzo Lamagna, after the command, and the Outcasts encircle original score of Adolphe Adam Landlord Giselle. When the crowd disperses, Fabian Reimair her lifeless body is revealed. Denying Orchestration by any responsibility, the Landlords Gavin Sutherland Giselle’s Friends retreat beneath the Wall. Jung ah Choi Visual Design and Costumes Adela Ramírez Interval – 10 minutes Tim Yip Anjuli Hudson Maria José Sales ACT II Lighting Design Mark Henderson A wrecked, abandoned ‘ghost’ Outcasts factory is revealed – a place where Dramaturgy Artists of the Company Giselle and her female co-workers Ruth Little have laboured, and many have died. Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis Assistant Choreographer Stina Quagebeur Here Albrecht, grieving for Giselle, Andrej Petrovič confronts and condemns the Wilis Landlords. Rehearsal Director Artists of the Company Mavin Khoo Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis (ghosts of Sound Designer factory workers who seek revenge Yvonne Gilbert Synopsis for the wrongs done to them in life), enters, driving Albrecht away. She Supported by ACT I summons Giselle from her lifeless Giselle is one of a community of body into the realm of death, to join migrant garment factory workers the company of the remorseless (the Outcasts). Dispossessed of their Wilis. jobs by the factory’s closure, and separated by ahigh wall from their Hilarion enters to mourn at Giselle’s hopes of livelihood and security, the grave. The Wilis surround him, Outcasts function as little more than demanding retribution for Giselle’s exotic entertainment for the factory death, and Hilarion is brutally killed. Worldwide Distribution Partner Landlords. Albrecht returns and becomes aware In Act I, the wealthy Albrecht of Giselle’s presence. The lovers are disguises himself as an Outcast in reunited on the threshold between order to visit his lover Giselle. life and death. Breaking the cycle The original production was supported of violence – and defying Myrtha’s using public funding by the National Lottery But his presence is noted by Hilarion command – Giselle forgives Albrecht through Arts Council England, and the Giselle –Giselle’s would-belover – a shape- and releases him into life. Production Syndicate, and co-produced changing ‘fixer’ who trades with and by Manchester International Festival and mimics the Landlords for his own and The Wilis depart with Giselle, Sadler’s Wells, London his community’s profit. and Albrecht, now an outcast from With special thanks to Aud Jebsen, Sponsor his own community, is left alone by of the Aud Jebsen International Talent Albrecht’s wooing of Giselle is the Wall. Programme interrupted by the unexpected arrival The role of Giselle is generously of the Landlords. sponsored by Carol Brigstocke Our Next Step Introducing our new home from 2019 “A space that will echo the sound of creative Britain.” Tamara Rojo We have long had the dream of having our own home, designed around our dancers’ needs, which brings the Company and the School together under one roof, and has space to develop our innovative engagement and learning work. This dream will become a reality next year when we move to London City Island in East London. Please consider helping us by donating online. All donations enable us to extend the reach of our work, into schools, in the local community, and to audiences at our touring venues, nationally and internationally. Find out more at ballet.org.uk/london-city-island Tweet your thoughts about Akram Khan’s Giselle using #ENBGiselle Sign up to receive English National Ballet’s enewsletters at ballet.org.uk/sign-up Future performances We aim to bring world-class ballet to the Visit ballet.org.uk for full performance widest possible audience. Catch us live schedule. near you this Summer and Autumn. 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