Latest news with #Giselle
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Giselle review: Hong Kong Ballet combines outstanding dancing with lavish sets
Hong Kong Ballet's new production of Giselle boasts lavish new sets and costumes by internationally acclaimed designer Jérôme Kaplan. The first night featured outstanding performances in the leading roles from guest artists Marianela Nuñez and Matthew Ball. Advertisement The dancing from the company as a whole was excellent, with the female corps de ballet superb as the Wilis (ghosts) in Act 2. Kaplan has switched the ballet from its usual medieval setting to Victorian times. His Act 1 set is truly stunning – a charming village in the foreground with a vista leading up to a fairy-tale castle in the distance and full of light, a nice contrast to the mournful, moonlit forest of Act 2. The costumes for the Duke and his aristocratic hunting party are gorgeous, those for the villagers pretty and colourful, if a trifle kitsch, and the long tutus for the Wilis flow nicely to enhance their movement. The final scene of Act 1 in Hong Kong Ballet's new production of Giselle. Photo: Tony Luk However, giving Giselle a richly embroidered, off-the-shoulder bodice is misjudged – she's an innocent peasant girl, not a sex kitten – and having Albrecht dance for his life in Act 2 wearing a plaid waistcoat looks bizarre.
Global News
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Global News
Okanagan Ballet company makes debut with classic, ‘Giselle'
It's the final moments before curtain. When it lifts, the Okanagan Ballet Theatre will make its debut with the classic, Giselle. Annette Bakala laces up her point shoes as the title role — one that she calls a dream come true. ''Giselle has a special place in my heart. I have been watching this ballet since I was a young girl,' said Bakala. 'Getting to be in the costume that I have been watching for 20 years and dreaming about doing one day, it's a very surreal out-of-body experience.' 1:39 Ballet Kelowna to perform 'Vividus: Full of Life' In preparation for their performance, the dancers rehearse on the stage at the Mary Irwin Theatre while the light cues are being set. Story continues below advertisement The rehearsal is a welcome distraction as the pressure mounts to bring a level of excellence to the Okanagan stage. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The O.B.T is something Tanya Vadurova has been wanting to create for years, and now the time has finally come to welcome guests to the theatre. 'Our mission right from the get-go has been to bring as much of the traditional classical ballets and full-length ballets to the Okanagan as we can possibly produce,' said Vadurova, artistic director and CEO of the Okanagan Ballet Theatre In its infancy, the Okanagan Ballet Theatre is comprised of four ballerinas. Vadurova is filling out the cast with talent from across the country. For the role of Albrecht, she has flown in Liam Caines from New Brunswick. 'It's probably amongst one of my favourite classical ballets and Albrecht is definitely one of my favourite of those roles,' said Caines. 'Having that opportunity was on the bucket list and (it was) one I didn't think was going to come true.' Accompanying the professional dancers in the production are aspiring ones from Mission Dance Centre. 'It just fills up the stage, I think that's what I think creates the show,' said Marianne Gows, who is cast as a Villager and one of the Willis. Story continues below advertisement Jennifer Hunter was also cast as a Villager and one of the Willis, in her last performance with Mission Dance Centre. 'Being a Willis, it's pretty much all these ghosts that are previously brides that have died of heartbreak and when men enter into the forest, they dance them to death,' said Hunter. The performances of Giselle will take place at the Mary Irwin Theatre at the Rotary Centre for the Arts May 21 and May 22.
The Sun
13-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Templegate tips ‘hugely impressive' Aidan O'Brien star to stun the favourite in monster 116-1 Epsom double
I'VE got two decent ante-post bets for Oaks day at Epsom on Friday, June 6. They can be backed in singles or the each-way double could give us a bumper payout at odds of a lovely 116-1. 1 ILLINOIS (8-1 for the Coronation Cup) He was hugely impressive when winning the Ormonde at Chester's May meeting coming back from seven months off. He tanked along in the tacky ground and showed lots of pace and staying power. That was over 1m5f and he'd be a tool in Cup races but Aidan O'Brien already has the mighty Kyprios operating at that level. There's every chance he'll be dropped back a furlong for the Coronation Cup on Oaks day, where the awesome Calandagan is 11-8 fav. Illinois was a close second in the Grand Prix De Paris and Great Voltigeur over 1m4f last season so the trip suits. Handling Chester bodes well for Epsom where they usually pour plenty of water on for Friday's card so the ground's not too quick for the Derby. At 8-1 with Ladbrokes – others are as low as 5-1 – he looks a good bet and it's worth taking the chance that he lines up. GISELLE (12-1 for the Oaks) She may not have had much to beat in taking the Lingfield Oaks Trial but Giselle looks the ideal type for Epsom. She took a little time to settle but came round the Lingfield bend nicely to run right away from her rivals. The Aidan O'Brien filly answered any questions about her staying power and she's certain to improve for this experience. I wasn't concerned by her being keen early on as they go quick early on in the Oaks which should help on that score. Ladbrokes' 12-1 is more than fair for the fillies' Classic. . Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who:
Times
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Michel Roux: ‘Many restaurants have closed. It's a dire situation'
Michel Roux, 64, was born in Kent, where his father, Albert, worked as a private chef. He left school at 16 to train as a chef and worked in France, Hong Kong and London before joining his uncle, Michel Sr, at the Waterside Inn in Berkshire in 1985 and then his father at Le Gavroche in 1991. In 1993 he took over the running of the restaurant until its closure in January 2024. He now has two restaurants within the Langham hotel in London and four in Scotland. His television work has included stints on MasterChef: the Professionals and Food and Drink. He lives in south London and France with his wife, Giselle. Their daughter, Emily, is also a chef. French restaurants lost their
Irish Examiner
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Puppet Master leads O'Brien's Lingfield team
Having dominated the Derby and Oaks trials at Chester this week, Aidan O'Brien supplies the two favourites for the Lingfield equivalents in Puppet Master and Giselle. The Ballydoyle handler fields two in the William Hill Lingfield Derby Trial Stakes, a listed event run on a track with a sweeping left-hand turn, said to best resemble the test the colts and fillies will face at Epsom. O'Brien has won the Derby Trial on six occasions, with Anthony Van Dyck following up at Epsom in 2019. The last horse to run at Lingfield and win the Derby was Charlie Appleby's Adayar, who was beaten by Third Realm in his trial. Stable jockey Ryan Moore has gone for Puppet Master over the once-raced Stay True, with O'Brien highlighting the fact he has had three more outings as the deciding factor. 'Ryan has gone for Puppet Master over Stay True because he's got the more experience,' he said. 'Stay True is a lovely horse and he came out of his win at Leopardstown well. But he's still a baby and we weren't even sure if he was too babyish for this, but we're going to learn more. 'He's in good order and looked like a horse who would get a mile and a half at Leopardstown. 'Obviously with Ryan's horse we liked him a lot last year [fourth in the Royal Lodge]. 'He had a good run first time back in the Ballysax [fourth to stablemate Delacroix] this year which has been boosted [by the second, Lambourn, at Chester], so he has more experience and we'll see where he's going to slot in.' Only three have been declared in the William Hill Oaks Trial Fillies' Stakes, including O'Brien's Giselle, who is certainly bred to be winning Classics as a daughter of Frankel out of Newspaperofrecord, who was a Breeders' Cup winner. When she made her debut in June she was sent off odds-on to beat stable companion Bedtime Story, who subsequently won at Royal Ascot by nine and a half lengths. She won her second race and was then third in a Group Three behind another stablemate, Whirl. 'Giselle is just ready to start as she has just taken a bit of time to come to hand this spring,' said O'Brien. 'We felt she was just ready for a race and we think that the experience will do her good. If Ryan can get her relaxed in the race, we'll see what happens.' Taking her on are Grant Tuer's Love Talk, winner of a valuable handicap at Goodwood last summer, and Simon and Ed Crisford's Harpsichord. Marco Botti's Great Generation won the William Hill Chartwell Fillies' Stakes last season and returns with her sights set on the same Group Three prize when making her seasonal debut. She prevailed by a neck 12 months ago when in receipt of plenty of weight as a three-year-old, and now at four she loses that allowance and is also required to carry a penalty for her prior success. 'She's wintered well, her preparation has gone to plan, and this has been the plan for a while,' said Botti. 'She won this race last year, but as a three-year-old she was getting weight from the four-year-olds and she also carries a penalty, so it's a slightly different story. 'I know they have been catching up with the watering, it's currently good to firm so hopefully that doesn't create a situation where it's loose on top. 'In terms of the opposition it has cut up a little bit, you have the three-year-old receiving weight, but to me it looks an open race that is stronger than last year.'
