Royal Ballet: Marianna Tsembenhoi shines in Giselle debut

A dancer’s debut in one of ballet’s great leading roles is always an event, yet it felt especially striking that Marianna Tsembenhoi performed Giselle as a first artist. The 25-year-old Ukrainian, who came to train in the UK in 2017, made a convincing case for the company’s faith: from her first buoyant entrance she impressed with elevation that made her seem almost weightless.

Tsembenhoi’s bright-eyed, girlish Giselle carried the lightness of innocence and goodness. She is technically tidy, and her long arms sway like willow branches, giving her portrayal a fresh simplicity that reads as honesty rather than artifice. Joseph Sissens also made his debut as Albrecht, a difficult part to reconcile as a nobleman posing as a peasant.

He was subtle, embodying the self-possession of privilege without needing finery, and his dancing—the tightly fluttering beats of his feet and the way he ekes out the end of a phrase—showed genuine care for Giselle.

United Kingdom

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