Adolphe Adam, the composer of Giselle, had much of his later work driven by the need to pay off heavy debts after a theatre venture failed during the 1848 revolution.
Performer Biography
Andrew Mogrelia, the conductor on this album, has an extensive discography for Naxos/Marco Polo, with his complete Sleeping Beauty acclaimed as a 'clear first choice' by Gramophone magazine.
Notable Performances
Giselle premiered on June 18, 1841, at the Opéra in Paris, with Carlotta Grisi dancing Giselle, Lucien Petipa as Albrecht, and Adèle Dumilâtre as Myrthe, the Queen of the Wilis.
Composition History
The libretto for Giselle was written in three days by Jules Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges, while Adolphe Adam took a week to sketch the music and three weeks to complete it.
Composition History
Giselle is based on a legend about the ghosts of unmarried girls, known as Wilis, who return to seek revenge on the living.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded in the Concert Hall of Slovak Radio, Bratislava, between April 5-14, 1994.
Composition History
The immediate inspiration for the ballet Giselle came from Théophile Gautier, spurred by his infatuation with the dancer Carlotta Grisi.
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