Nevada Ballet’s ‘Giselle’ just right for season for

The Nevada Ballet Theatre opened its season with a winsome "Giselle" that featured high-spirited performances by principal Yoomi Lee as a strong yet tragic Giselle, principal Kyudong Kwak as gamekeeper Hilarion, and soloist Jared Hunt as Count Albrecht.

Despite warnings of a curse that kills maidens who dance too much before their wedding day, Giselle keeps dancing.

Later, she and the Wilis, the other women now affected by the curse, appear in ghostly, pale-white makeup. They dance almost maniacally as commanded by Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis (soloist Alissa Verbena Dale here; soloist Cathy Colbert at other performances). Their goal is to lure the two male principals to dance themselves to death.

Lee's characterization was first innocent, then independent but captivated, and finally strong with ultimate capitulation.

She reflected each sentiment as she was cautious, then pleased, then rebellious, then disheartened but still with a bit of spark. She did not falter with her several difficult sequences, bringing long applause from the audience.

Kwak was limited more by the role than his skill. No one who regularly attends the ballet could believe the quick submission he demonstrated. Still, he brought the right emotion, especially in his interaction with Lee.

Hunt had enough stag leaps and other grand moves to show that he should be featured.

Special praise must be given to the Wilis. The members of the corps de ballet, the apprentices and the trainees in this sequence were able to seemingly float across the stage again and again.

There were negatives, but they were minimal. The ballet was danced to recorded music. There were some sequences when dancers were not synchronized. On at least one occasion, the stage was so full that a dancer was beyond the proscenium. And the program cover, with its sad faces and pose, telegraphed immediately there was no happy ending.

No one would count "Giselle" as a seasonal ballet. But the otherworldly atmosphere of the second act, along with the spooky makeup and appropriate music, made this just right for a pre-Halloween show.