Houston Ballet's Giselle

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Closing the 2025-2026 season is Stanton Welch AM’s reimagined version of one of ballet’s most revered works, Giselle. A cornerstone of 19th-century Romanticism, Giselle tells the heart-wrenching story of a peasant girl tragically betrayed by an aristocrat posing as a commoner.
Premiering in 2016, Welch’s fresh interpretation for Houston Ballet draws upon the unedited 1941 version of Adolphe Adam’s score, expanding the narrative to offer dancers greater emotional depth in their roles. With its themes of love, betrayal, and death, Giselle is brought to life by acclaimed Italian designer Roberta Guidi di Bagno through stunning sets and costumes.
While the original 1841 version by Marius Petipa is a hallmark of classical ballet for its groundbreaking storytelling and psychological depth, Giselle also holds a special place in Houston Ballet’s history. In 1967, a one-night-only performance by Nina Popova’s ballet school ignited the city’s passion for ballet, ultimately leading to the founding of Houston Ballet in 1969.

Photo Credits: Houston Ballet Principal Soo Youn Cho as Myrtha in Stanton Welch’s Giselle. Photo by Amitava Sarkar (2019), Courtesy of Houston Ballet.

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