Giselle

Adolphe Adam's 1841 repertory staple ballet is already represented by excellent DVD versions from La Scala and Covent Garden (see reviews in VL-6/06 and VL-2/09, respectively), but this 2009 mounting of Giselle by the Dutch National Ballet at the Muziektheater Amsterdam may well be the best. Anna Tsygankova is charming and nimble as the peasant girl who dies of heartbreak after discovering that the handsome young man with whom she's fallen in love—performed with equal grace by Jozef Varga—is actually a prince betrothed to another. Her death occasions the entrance of the Wilis, the spirits of girls who died before marriage and literally dance to death any would-be bridegroom unfortunate enough to meet them—a fate that befalls Hilarion (gangly but wonderfully agile Jan Zerer), the gamekeeper who loves Giselle, murdered at the hand (or feet, actually) of the Wilis' leader Myrtha (the radiant Igone de Jongh). But when the vengeful brood also targets the prince, Giselle is able to save him by extending their dance past dawn, when the Wilis must return to their graves. Presented by Rachel Beaujean and Ricardo Bustamante—who recreate the traditional choreography by Marius Petipa—this is a captivating production, marked by evocative sets and costumes and excellent orchestral work from the Holland Symfonia under the baton of Boris Gruzin. DVD/Blu-ray extras include interviews with the four principal dancers and the choreographers, illustrated with performance clips, rehearsal footage, and backstage shots. Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo, this stylish rendering of a classic ballet is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)