„Giselle“ , revisited: Vienna State Ballet (Wiener Staatsballett), Sep. 23rd, 2025.
„Giselle“ , revisited: Vienna State Ballet (Wiener Staatsballett), Sep. 23rd, 2025.
Laura Fernandez Gromova as Giselle, sets quite an example and quite a scale of good work, for others to follow.
Having written very extensively about the Performance of Tchernichiva’s “Giselle” on the 19th, there's no real need to write about many facts of the production, just to „update“ them wherever it is necessary.
It's interesting to notice how many changes have taken place in the casting context. Of course, this is all planned and didn't happen „by chance“.
Let's take the Corps de Ballet, for example. In a way that underlines the word flexibility, conditio sine qua non in a serious ballet company, there were many cast and „place“ alterations to be seen: Dancers who had been in more „noticeable“ (or prominent) roles or positions found themselves in the Corps or in other positions. This is also applied to the other way around.
I understand this very well, on the part of the direction. I call this getting used to a company while keeping it flexible and dynamic. And this is not only physically, but intellectually.
Exactly as a company should be.
Also, being for the second time, just within a few days, in the same performance gave me the, let's say, „extravagance“ of paying more attention to certain details, to certain members of the cast.
Let's take, for instance, Giselle's girlfriends, wonderfully performed by members of the Corps that you can always rely on for a good, professional performance: Céline Janou Weder, Sveva Gargiulo, Anita Manolova, Natalya Butchko, and Gala Fredianelli. Among them, I saw, for the second time, a beautiful, small, very talented dancer who caught my full attention for the use of her feet, soft precision, and natural, unaffected grace: Alice McArthur.
The „Peasant's pas de Quatre“: Lovely Soloists Margarita Fernandes (Whom I had seen in „La Bayadère“ in Munich and caught my eye) giving her Début in the Vienna State Opera and delighting the audience with her easy-going ways, and Sinthia Liz (who was deservingly promoted to the soloist position on the first day of this Season) with her exactness and usual delight in doing what she is doing at the moment, joined by elegant Arne Vandervelde, whose work, fine technique and discipline are admirable and Rinaldo Venuti, who, after performing Hilarion on Sep. 19th, had more chance to dance in the newly „reinvented“ „Pas de Quatre“, a task he mastered with dignity and bravura.
Alaia Rogers-Maman, unfortunately, missed the basic understanding of the character. „Her“ Bathilde is superficial, walking around beautifully, looking beautiful, and enjoying being beautiful. But nothing more. Too frivolous. Bathilde is, if one studies the character of this other „victim“ of Albrecht, a more complex and well-constructed character than the clichée-like, shallow girl that was presented (or, better said, not presented) to the audience. She can be performed with a gamut of emotions in the (relatively) short period in which she is on stage. It is a shame when the opportunities to create a „whole“, substantial character are wasted. Miss Rogers is a good dancer, as she once more proved in the second act, in the Corps de Ballet, as one of the Willis.
Alessandro Cavallo gives a very human Hilarion. One can recognize immediately that the kind of man, who, when confronted without any argument in any kind of situation, decides to fight. This, on top of it all, mixed with some arrogance. Mr Cavallo plays the part well. But as I see, he was at Béjart Ballet Lausanne, a company which requires good acting skills from its members. This was also his Début with the Vienna State Ballet.
Ioanna Avraam, whom I heard had problems with her point shoes, that, allegedly, did not arrive on time for the performance, gave once more a consistent, inspirational, well-thought-out portrayal of this unloved, frustrated woman (This is my personal reading of “Myrtha’s character”). I am always „moved“ by Miss Avraam's character creations. So many sides of a character, facets (yes, like in a gemstone) in fact. Technically in command (jumps that are amazing for a Danseuse, even with – allegedly – borrowed shoes), very “centered” and very strong, being at the same time “opened”. This is confirmed by her use of the diaphragm, the muscle that facilitates breathing. It turns some very subtle movements into effective ones. It is crucial for stability, spinal mobility, and expressive breath control, influencing a dancer's overall ability in passing the desired „effect“ to the audience.
She once more gave us a performance to remember.
The long-awaited Antonio Casalinho's Début in Vienna was a successful one. Alessandra Ferri's „visions“ don't stop at the conclusion of them on stage. As a professional, she started her work already thinking about the future. And what could be more logical than investing in young talent?
Mr Casalinho, a very young dancer, is still on what I call „the first phase“ of Albrecht's transformation during a dancer's career. He is the starry-eyed young man who doesn't measure the consequences of his childish acts (breaking two hearts simultaneously), which implies his mourning for Giselle. He thinks of her in the same dimension as he has a bad conscience, a guilty one – and that means that, in part and very egoistically, he is feeling sorry for himself, not only for Giselle. And that makes sense for the construction of his character: Just an egotistical person would play with something that should be sacred. Love.
Mr Casalinho, in full command of a beautiful technique, which is in part to thank to the many abilities that are natural to him.
Laura Fernandez Gromova, with her very fluid, emotional, and well-conceived performance, just” conquered the public .
Pin-pointed to the last detail (Even her eye make-up in the second act, a detail I normally don't write about, underlined the storytelling) she gave a beautiful, very emotional “reading” of the character.
She combines the, for this role, necessary and very welcome fragility, frailty, and vulnerability, with an impressive, strong technique and amazing acting skills. „Her“ Giselle, as ethereal as she is, is a person made out of flesh and blood, as her „screaming“ eyes, in the incredibly emotional madness scene, exposed and gave her away.
Her sincerity is there, all the time to be seen, felt, and nearly touched by all. But she never exaggerates, never shows too much, never gives too much. All in the right dosage.
This is the reason why I somehow disliked one, extremely beautiful but ill-fitting (to the so contained, whole context) arabesque penchée, that nearly bordered on the inelegance of overstretching. Unnecessary.
But this is just a little, easy corrigible, issue. She gave a wonderful performance, one that sets quite an example and quite a scale of good work, for other to follow.
After the show, the usual talk and some comments about which cast people thought was „better“. A friendly tip from me: Don't compare. As we have witnessed with the three casts that were presented between September 18th and 23rd, it is not advisable to „compare“ (even if it is a tendency of human nature). I guess that we are in for a few years of „treats“. One after the other.
So, sit down, put your feet up, relax, remember that „Happy days are here again“ and start to enjoy. No „anxiety“. There's plenty to come. I am sure of that.
I am sure that audiences are saying „Thank you“ (as I do right now and I am happy to do this publicly) to Alessandra Ferri, the new Artistic Director of the Vienna State Ballet, for the excellent last days' „previews“ of what is yet to come.
Ricardo Leitner
a t t i t u d e
September 24th, 2025
