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‘A pitch-perfect production’: Join us for the English National Ballet’s acclaimed classical ballet production of ‘Giselle’ with Champagne Three-Course Dinner at The Savoy Hotel: the date is Tuesday, January 16, 2024: fully booked and event successfully concluded

27
Dec
You are invited to join us for the English National Ballet’s atmospheric and richly picturesque production of ‘Giselle’. This, the greatest of Romantic ballets, ultimate glory of the classic repertoire, stars the poignant Ukrainian ballerina Katja Khaniukova, who escaped the chaos and bloodshed of Kiev to flee to London and join the English National Ballet. Her co-star is the high-flying lead principal dancer, Spain’s Aitor Arrieta.
The reviewers are universal in their praise: ‘Magical’, writes The Telegraph. ‘Brilliant and profoundly satisfying’, notes the Express, ‘I highly recommend you catch if you can.’ The Arts Desk writes, ‘Skeaping’s is a Giselle to treasure forever’ and Bachtrack calls it ‘a first-class, five-star evening’.
Exclusively, our Club Members and their personal guests can watch this beautiful performance from the centre of the Orchestra Stalls, having dined in the splendour of the Savoy Hotel on a delicious Three-Course Pre-Theatre Champagne Dinner, including your taxi, service and VAT, all for £139 instead of the full £180.
We are delighted to have secured tickets for this, the sparkling new-season English National Ballet production, on Tuesday, January 16. It will be memorable—the full spectacle of the pure lunar beauty of Khaniukova with the handsome Arrieta, joined by Fabian Reimair as Hilarion and Alison McWhinney as Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis, leading the full English Ballet Company, performing in the historic, red-and-gold Coliseum auditorium. It promises to be an enchanting evening, a delightful start to the artistic year.
The ballet ‘Giselle’ is one of the most beautiful of all; it transformed the dance world when it was first performed in Paris in 1841 and it remains at the centre of the classical repertory. As to the production, with its historically attentive staging of the 1841 ballet, this is a cherished and internationally acclaimed version which dates from 1971, when Mary Skeaping returned to original sources and descaled the score.
This, Marius Petipa’s classic (after the original choreography by Jules Perrot and Jean Coralli), is perhaps the finest ‘Giselle’ of all time, first staged in St Petersburg in 1884. The intricacy and drama of Petipa’s work and the beauty of French composer Adolphe-Charles Adam’s music, recreated by Skeaping and danced by two of the English National Ballet’s freshest stars, will all add up to a magical experience.
Writes The Guardian ballet critic, ‘Skeaping restored the original’s complex nostalgia—a pre-industrial pastoral in which people are fixed by birth and corralled by superstition. In David Walker’s richly picturesque designs, the schloss looks down on the autumnal Rhineland village through a blue and green landscape; later, a woodland graveyard gathers darkness at dead of night.’ He calls it ‘inspired’, noting that ‘as she burrowed into the ballet’s history, Skeaping fastened on the emotional clasp that keeps it current.’
To make sure our Members can enjoy this special and romantic classical ballet performance to the full we have pre-booked seats in the centre of the Orchestra Stalls for the evening performance on Tuesday, January 16, 2024. The event will create a delightful start to the year, and we have chosen the River Restaurant at the Savoy Hotel as a fitting venue for our pre-theatre Three-Course Champagne Dinner.
Beautiful in its Art Deco style, The River Restaurant overlooking the Thames is a sight to behold. With its links to London’s artistic past and present, and with its delicious cuisine, the Savoy will form a delightful and fitting opening scene for our Members prior to a memorable classical ballet performance.
PRIORITY BOOKING
Tickets for the full evening at the London Coliseum and the Savoy Hotel River Restaurant by Gordon Ramsay, including seats in the Orchestra Stalls for the English National Ballet’s ‘Giselle’, and Champagne three-course dinner, are £139 per person for our Members instead of the full £180. Tables at The Savoy are booked from 5pm and the performance starts at 7.30pm (running time 2 Hours 15 minutes). We have only a limited number of places, so please don’t delay:
¶ To extend the pleasure of the evening and enjoy a luxurious night’s stay in London, or a longer break, you may wish to take advantage of our exclusive Club rates at the Savoy Hotel or another of our London hotels and clubs. Please click here to check London hotel availability, or call the Member Services team on 020 7399 2960.