Rating: - There Is None Other To Compare This Giselle To
This version of Giselle is the benchmark to judge all Giselles. What sets this Giselle apart from all the others are the extensions that both Baryshnikov & Makarova put into their technical performances. Martine van Hamel, well, I'm in love with her, and her performance is simply the best Myrtha I have ever witnessed, expressing the correct demeanour matched only by her phenomenal technical performance considering that she is not exactly a petite ballerina--that is what makes her performance extraordinarily amazing! It is for the performance of Myrtha by Hamel that I am drawn time and again to this Giselle excluding, of course, the famous variation of Giselle in the second act that only Makarova has done to perfection. However, Hamel puts on such a consistently well executed performance of extrenuous movements throughout her entire retinue that I am literally drawn to tears of overwhelming emotion, just as I am drawn to tears by Makarova's performance in the first act. There are a few flaws in this American production, one committed by Baryshnikov which is still difficult for me to understand how it could have happened being that it is a simple movement during the Grand Pas de deux. The Corps de Ballet is also a little lacking, especially in the Pas de deux scene between the two Willis, where the timing of the movement is off from the orchestra. What really makes this ballet the success that you hear from other critics is the score used by the orchestra which only accentuates the dramtic effect of the artists' performances. If you do not own this video, get it no matter the price! You will not regret it, even with the few flaws I've mentioned, it is still my favorite Giselle. And, if you have read other reviews of mine, you will be pleased to note that the filmography of this ballet is perfect; not once are the feet cut off by the camera during critical performances of the footwork.

Adam: Giselle