On November 17, the ballet “Giselle” was set to premiere in the Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz in Munich with choreography by Karl Alfred Schreiner and music by Adolphe Adam. Heiko Pfützer is responsible for stage design, while the costumes are designed by the Munich-based fashion label Talbot Runhof. It is not the first time that Talbot Runhof has taken on costume design responsibilities for a performance at the Gärtnerplatztheater in Munich, with the label having assumed the role once before in 2010 for the opera “The Makropulos Affair” by Leoš Janácek. Johnny Talbot and Adrian Runhof are even more excited to have the opportunity to collaborate with the theater again this year.

In the ballet, the trusting Giselle falls in love with philandering Count Albrecht and gives up her previous life plans for him. She realizes too late that he had just been playing with her. When she learns the truth, she dies of a broken heart. From then on, Albrecht has to live with Giselle’s death on his conscience. Thoughts of his guilt plague him like vengeful furies. Can he find forgiveness before he is hounded to death and ruin?

A text by Heinrich Heine about the legend of the Wilis gave Théophile Gautier the idea in 1841 to write a ballet about them. Wilis are young brides that died before their wedding and cannot find peace: Any man who crosses their path in the woods at night is forced to dance to his death. With the motto “Morality is no void,” Karl Alfred Schreiner presents the romantic piece by Adolphe Adam as a dramatic battle of the sexes and a confrontation with one’s own demons, symbolized not least by the wilderness of the forest.

1667816630_x_20221103gisellebrianekf-4-2

Talbot Runhof stands for “Glamor made in Munich” and opulence. This is also reflected in the design of the costumes. However, in line with the stage design, which transports the performance to a rural setting, Johnny Talbot and Adrian Runhof also play with traditional elements in their designs. For instance, references to traditional clothing can be found in the performers’ dresses, which pick up on details from the dirndl, as well as in short waistcoats and knee breeches that are reminiscent of Bavarian leather shorts. Meanwhile, the color palette primarily draws on earthy, warm tones ranging from bordeaux to khaki to a rich brown.

The designers were also able to incorporate a project that they are very passionate about in a collaboration with the upcycling atelier Bellevue Couture, part of the Bellevue di Monaco social project, which, like Talbot Runhof, is located in the direct vicinity of the Gärtnerplatztheater. Bellevue Couture produces elaborate patchwork pieces that have been incorporated into the costume design. The designs are not only a reference to traditional rural craftsmanship, they also artistically combine tradition and glamor through the union of simpler rustic materials and opulent metallic fabrics, creating the unique glamor that has been synonymous with Talbot Runhof for more than twenty years.

tr_giselle_ballet_costumes_55-C-Marie-Laure-Briane