The royal ballet perform marius petipas version of the ballet by adolphe adam inspired by a poem by heinrich heine conducted by boris gruzin natalia osipova plays the title role with carlos acosta as count albrecht when young peasant girl giselle discovers that her lover albrecht is actually a nobleman in disguise who is due to be married she dies from despair but when albrechts life is threatened by the evil wilis clan giselles spirit returns to save him