Charlotte Shields-Rossi | a&e editor

An act of catfishing.

A love triangle.

A situationship.

While they might be a newer addition to our modern love lexicon, the history of it is anything but. In 1841, before soft launching and ghosting became common terms, a performance detailing a more dramatic and romantic version of many modern dating woes debuted at the Paris Opera Ballet.

“Giselle,” a ballet performance that was born from the romantic period of the arts, was choreographed by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot and accompanied by music from Adolphe Adam. The two-act ballet follows a German village girl, Giselle, who falls in love, gets her heart broken, goes to the underworld and eventually chooses to forgive the man that broke her heart (literally).

“Giselle,” is one of the oldest ballet performances, and for Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre artistic director Adam W. McKinney, a show that iconic and enduring is the perfect fit for the opening to the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre 2026-2027 season.

“‘Giselle’ epitomizes the lasting impact and beauty of ballet,” McKinney said in a news release.

Each year, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre chooses two shows to be performed alongside PBT Orchestra, as opposed to a recording. This season it will be “Giselle” along with “The Sleeping Beauty.”

The first act opens with Giselle falling in love with Count Albrecht, who is disguising himself as a peasant. This love story all takes place during a lively group harvest celebration.

Laurie Rieger, social media and public relations manager of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, said that viewers should be watching closely at the performers pantomiming — every nod, point and kiss blown tell a story.

At the end of the first act, Giselle dies after finding out that Albrecht is not who he says he is. Giselle is devastated and with a weak heart, she dies at the idea of her love’s duplicity.

The second act begins with church bells tolling, the lighting is darker and the dancing is different.

“It’s a huge personality shift, it’s almost two separate ballets,” Rieger said.

Giselle is now in the underworld surrounded by the Wilis. The Wilis are comprised of jilted women who died after being left at the altar. They are still wearing all white along with the veils they never got to use, which trap their arms while they dance.

Magnoly Batista, corps de Ballet dancer, will play two roles in act one depending on the performance, either a friend of Giselle or Giselle’s mother. In the second act on select dates she will be playing the Queen of the Wilis — Myrtha.

“Giselle” is challenging not only because of the physicality of the dances, but also because of the acting, according to Batista. For Batista, getting into the headspace of Myrtha took practice.

“She feels really strong about her dislike for men, and she believes that the women, the Wilis, had been wronged by them, and to me, that’s been a harder role to step into because she wants to be so strong and firm and she commands the room,” Batista said.

“Giselle” is famous for its second act being a ballet blanc, where the female performers wear exclusively white, flowing, romantic tutus. In the act the Wilis dance in perfect unison in a hoard formation. They have a hive mentality and are commanded by Myrtha as they lure men in to dance to their deaths.

But how can this ballet filled with deception and betrayal be considered a love story? Because at the very end, when Myrtha is trying to lure Albercht, Giselle saves him.

“It is a love story, she forgives him and helps save him, which helps her find peace,” Rieger said.

“Giselle” will run from Oct. 23 to Oct. 25 with two evening performances Friday and Saturday and two matinee performances Saturday and Sunday. You can purchase tickets at pbt.org. Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre offers student tickets under $30 with a valid student ID.

“Viewers can expect drama, they can expect to feel something deep down,” Batista said.

Charlotte Shields-Rossi can be reached at shieldsrossic@duq.edu