Giselle (1842)

Giselle, commonly known as The Wilis or Giselle, ou Les Wilis in French, is a two-act ballet. Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Théophile Gautier wrote it. Inspired by Heinrich Heine's article on the Wilis and Victor Hugo's poem "Fantômes" in Les Orientales about a girl who died after an all-night party. On Monday, June 28, 1842, the first Giselle was presented at the Ballet du Théâtre de l'Académie Royale de Musique in Salle Le Peletier in Paris, France.

Giselle depicts the narrative of a peasant girl named Duke Albrecht of Silesia, who falls in love with a bashful commoner named Giselle. Duke Albrecht's arranged marriage to the Duke of Courtland's daughter is the story's tension. He tries to avoid detection by wooing Giselle while disguised during a grape harvest festival.

The initial performance wowed both critics and audiences. Giselle became a worldwide sensation in Europe, Russia, and America. The lead part was performed by Carlotta Grisi, an Italian prima ballerina, at the Salle Le Peletier in Paris in June 1842. It was a smash upon its initial release and quickly became famous throughout Europe, contributing to its global appeal. Marius Petipa choreographed the variation most commonly seen now just before the twentieth century.