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Colorado Ballet Academy presents

giselle

saturday, maY 25, 2024 • ELLIE CAULKINS OPERA HOUSE

1:00PM & 6:00PM

Photos by Mark Hutchens

Ticket Pricing:

C = $20  
B = $30 
A = $45 
Spotlight = $60  
Pointe = $70 

The Story of Giselle

Giselle is a romantic masterpiece that has been performed continually since it was created more than 180 years ago.  

Giselle is a ballet in two Acts. Act 1 is approximately one hour long. Act 2 is approximately 45 minutes long. There will be one 20-minute intermission. 

The story of Giselle takes place in a peasant village during the festive grape harvest. A beautiful peasant girl named Giselle is in love with Loys, a newcomer to the village, which annoys the local gamekeeper Hilarion, who is in love with Giselle. Giselle loves to dance more than anything in the world, and though her mother warns her not to dance because of her weak heart, she joins in the dancing and celebrating with her village friends. Hilarion is so jealous, that he decides to break into Loys’s house. He not only discovers Loys’s cloak and sword, but the fact that the crest matches the call horn of the Royal Hunting Party. He is about to knock on Giselle’s house to let them know of his discovery, only to be interrupted by more friends dancing. Giselle and Loys join the dance and Hilarion can take no more. He calls the Royal Hunting Party to expose that Loys is actually count Albrecht in disguise, and the fact that he is already engaged to be married to princess Bathilde. Giselle is grief-stricken. Her heart fails her as she goes mad, and she dies! Hilarion’s jealousy has caused a terrible tragedy.  

A few nights later, Hilarion visits Giselle’s grave, only to be captured by the legendary Wilis. Wilis are the spirits of women how have been abandoned by the men who had promised to marry them. Ruled by Myrtha, the Queen of the Wilis, they rise from their graves every night to seek revenge by forcing any man they can find to dance until he dies of exhaustion. Myrtha summons Giselle’s spirit and commands her to dance as a new Wili. The Wilis hear Albrecht and hide as he dances with Giselle’s spirit. The Wilis capture Albrecht, and Mytha commands him to dance. Knowing that a Wili never tires, Giselle begs to dance instead. She dances alone, then with Albrecht, but Myrtha and the Wilis are too strong, and Albrecht is forced to dance. Just as he can dance no more, the sun starts to rise. The Wilis disappear, and Albrecht has survived the night. The power of Giselle and Albrecht’s love has saved Albrecht from a terrible fate. 

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About the Ellie Caulkins Opera House 

Located at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, The Ellie Caulkins Opera House, known simply as “The Ellie,” is a world-class hall designed in the lyric style with acoustical excellence, state-of-the-art technical support, and clean sight lines. The Ellie is the home of the Colorado Ballet and Colorado Ballet Academy students are unique in their ability to perform on such an illustrious stage. 

Located at 1385 Curtis Street, Denver, CO 80204 

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