Abu Dhabi Festival 2019: Korean National Ballet to bring the romance of Giselle to UAE

This ballet performance of the much-loved opera is the perfect entry point to the art form

The Korean National Ballet will bring the classic production 'Giselle' to Abu Dhabi Festival. Courtesy Abu Dhabi Festival

Abu Dhabi Festival’s performance programme begins tonight with what promises to be a lavish performance by the Korean National Ballet.

The acclaimed Seoul company will take to the stage tonight at the Emirates Palace Auditorium to perform a rendition of the much-loved romantic ballet Giselle. South Korean is this year's guest of honour at the Abu Dhabi Festival.

The ballet company's performance will be followed by a concert by the Korean Symphony Orchestra tomorrow.

If you are not a ballet buff, don't worry, the show's artistic director Kang Sui Jin says Giselle is a great entry point into the art form.

“It is a love story that becomes a drama,” she explains. “It is also very easy for the public to understand. For one thing, they will never get bored. If you come for the first time, there is a lot to enjoy.”

The ballet was choreographed for the company by the celebrated French dancer Patrice Bart, and this performance will serve as a fine introduction to the Korean National Ballet. Founded in 1962, the company grew to a troupe of 90 dancers who have gone on to share their love of dance to neighbouring countries in Asia, as well as conducting high-profile tours of the US, Europe and Russia.

Jin says the company has been limbering up for tonight’s performance in Abu Dhabi throughout the week. “[Rehearsals] are going well. Yesterday we saw the venue for the space and last night we rehearsed with the orchestra,” she says. “The company is professional and we enjoying touring. We are looking forward to tonight.”

Jin explains that bringing a ballet production to new country is as much about logistics as flexibility.

“It is all about seeing the stage first. Depending on the space of the stage, we then tailor our performance. So as a company we have to be flexible and make small changes to the performance a day before the show at times,” she adds.

“The Abu Dhabi Festival stage, the auditorium at Emirates Palace is very good and we don’t really have to change much.”

Korean National Ballet performs Giselle at Emirates Palace Auditorium, March 7 at 8pm. Tickets begin from Dh175 at www.abudhabifestival.ae