Erik Bruhn and Carla Fracci - A Segment of 'Giselle' Act 1 (ABT 1969)

The footage here shows a section of Act 1 of 'Giselle' - the meeting of Albrecht and Giselle and some of the following solos and pas de deux.

What I love about this film is its clarity and the close-ups which allow you to see the subtly of the acting of both Fracci and Bruhn.

This was particularly interesting to me as it was an aspect of the ballet that struck me in a 'Giselle' I saw as a kid at with Carla Fracci and Rudolph Nureyev at La Scala in Milan in the early to mid 1970s. I was really moved by the sense of unforced distress the ballerina produced for her character when the peasant girl learns of the betrothal of her new love to another.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Erik Bruhn
• Carla Fracci
• 'Giselle'
• American Ballet Theatre
• ballet

[Bnesque]

Thank you for reminding me of this fabulous "girl meets boy moment" of one of the greatest actress/dancer. I cherish every detail of her doing things, like caring about her clothe or coyly moving away from Albrecht or everithing!

[nickwallacesmith]

hi Bnesque - she is THE giselle for me - of those i've seen. she became the character, within the romantic idiom stylistically. i loved maximova too - saw her in paris as a kid - like a connection with ulanova, her coach. fracci cried literally at one point during a la scala performance i saw (nureyev was albrecht) - i was using opera glasses - touching and not melodramatic - touching in the extreme.

[Bnesque]

@nickwallacesmith To tell you the truth, I have this strage feeling. At first I thought she is THE giselle, then the madness scene came out, I saw the moment the madness took over her and how her madness was deep and dark, I was brought out to the Greek tragedy world not merely the imagination of Theophile Gautier. And I thought she trancsended Giselle. Well I might be just obsessed but I can't help myself...

[nickwallacesmith]

hi Bnesque - curiously i saw carla fracci dancing in rome in 2003, in a modern work - not that the ballet was good but it was great to be able to see her for a last time on stage - i'd last seen her as a kid in 1973 - so a 20 year span! probably a bit obsessed myself too!

[Bnesque]

@nickwallacesmith Is that Medea?

[nickwallacesmith]

hi Bnesque - i think it was 'Girotondo Romano' at the Teatro Nazionale - we were travelling quickly and noticed the performance ad. snatched tickets at the last moment without getting a program. it was modern dress. cheers

[Bnesque]

@nickwallacesmith Thank you again for the great information!

[nickwallacesmith]

hi fivelorn - thanks! very kind of you, very. happily there are others loading some great stuff - you might like to check out crazy4newcastle's channel. hope to hear from you again, best, nick

[fivelorn]

Nick....you are the Alexandrian Library of Classical dance videos!!

[nickwallacesmith]

hi opensecret51 - no problem - uploading now