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© Gran Teatre del Liceu
Giselle
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October 2025 | ||||||
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Giselle | Bayerisches Staatsballett
Ballet in two acts
Libretto by Théophile Gautier and Jules-Henri Vernoy, based on the work De l'Allemagne by Heinrich Heine
Approximate running time: 2 hours
Giselle by Peter Wright, a must-see classic for dance lovers
The result is a Giselle that, on the one hand, is completely committed to the spirit of Romanticism and, on the other, puts the acting skills and virtuosity of classical ballet in the foreground. Giselle is a young girl who first falls in love, then falls into madness and finally turns into a "Wili". The plot of the ballet goes back to a text by Heinrich Heine, who recounts the legend of these nocturnal elemental spirits as follows: "The Wilis are brides who have died before the wedding.
The poor young creatures cannot lie quietly in their graves, in their dead hearts, in their dead feet there still remained that desire to dance which they could not satisfy in life, and at midnight they rise, gather, and woe to the young man who meets them! He must dance with them, they embrace him with unbridled frenzy, and he dances with them, without rest or repose, until he falls down dead.
The renowned Bavarian company kicks off the ballet season at the Gran Teatre del Liceu with Giselle by Peter Wright, a must-see classic for dance lovers. A seemingly idyllic rural village life by day and, parallel to this, an eerie ghostly dance at night: these two realities characterise the events on stage in Giselle. Peter Wright choreographed the production for the Munich company in 1974, following the tradition of the classical step material by Marius Petipa, Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot.
Peter Wright was not interested in reconstructing the original from 1841, but adapted the staging and choreography to the technique of today's dancers.
In this adaptation by Peter Wright, the staging and choreography are updated to align with the technique of modern dancers, resulting in a Giselle fully committed to the spirit of Romanticism.
Program and cast
Choreography after Coralli/Perrot/Petipa - Peter Wright
Based on - Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-GeorgesThéophile Gauti
Music - Adolphe Adam, Friedrich Burgmüller and Riccardo Drigo
Scenography and costumes - Peter Farmer
Production - Bayerische Staatsoper
Symphony Orchestra of the Gran Teatre del Liceu
Conductor: Robertas Šervenikas
Gran Teatre del Liceu
Barcelona's opera house, the Gran Teatre del Liceu, was founded on the Rambla in 1847 and has continued over the years to fulfil its role as a culture and arts centre and one of the symbols of the city.
Today it is publicly-owned (by the Government of Catalonia, Barcelona City Council, Barcelona Provincial Council and the Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte) and administered by the Fundació del Gran Teatre del Liceu which, in addition to the aforementioned bodies, incorporates the Patronage Council and the Societat del Gran Teatre del Liceu (the old society of owners).
Origins: From 1837 to 1847
The Liceu evolved out of the Sociedad Dramática de Aficionados (Society of theatre-lovers) set up in 1837 at the instigation of Manuel Gibert in the former convent of Montsió by members of the National Militia, an organization of armed citizens with liberal leanings.
Barcelona's economy and population were growing fast at the time and the city needed a music conservatory. This led to the conversion of the Sociedad Dramática into the Liceo Filármonico Dramático Barcelonés de S.M. la Reina Isabel II (Barcelona Dramatic and Philharmonic Lyceum of HM Queen Isabel II). In addition to its theatrical activities, the new organization cultivated Italian-style singing and music.
The building on the Rambla
The original building was solemnly opened on 4 April 1847. The plans had been drawn up by Miquel Garriga i Roca, subsequently assisted by Josep Oriol Mestres. The project was funded by selling shares, which meant that many of the boxes and seats were to be privately owned. The shareholders formed the Societat del Gran Teatre del Liceu, known as the “Societat de Propietaris” (Society of Owners), which was in sole charge of running the Gran Teatre del Liceu from 1855 onwards, after it was legally separated from the Conservatori del Gran Teatre del Liceu.
The theatre was operated by impresarios who were given a concession to stage a specific number of productions in exchange for the proceeds from the sale of tickets not reserved for the Societat itself. This system was to endure until 1980.
The creation of the Consortium
By the last quarter of the 20th century this management system was no longer viable. In 1980, to avert the danger of the disappearance of an institution of such worldwide cultural renown, the Generalitat Catalonia's first government in modern times – set up a consortium, the Consorci del Gran Teatre del Liceu, which also incorporated Barcelona City Council and the Societat del Gran Teatre del Liceu. Barcelona Provincial Council joined the Consortium in 1985, followed by the Spanish Ministry of Culture in 1986. From then on the Consortium took over operation of the theatre.
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