Giselle, the heartbreaking love story of a village maiden and a handsome young nobleman betrothed to another, holds a special place in the hearts of ballet aficionados all around the world. But fandom isn’t the only reason it’s particularly special at American Ballet Theatre: It’s also one of the first ballets that Company ever performed.

American Ballet Theatre, known as Ballet Theatre at the time, raised the curtain on its first performance ever on January 11, 1940, with a production of Les Sylphides at The Center Theatre in New York City. The very next day, the Company took the stage for its very first performance of Giselle, starring Annabelle Lyon in the title role and Anton Dolin, the production’s choreographer, as Albrecht.

Several renowned choreographers and Artistic Directors went on to stage renditions of Giselle at ABT over the years, including Dimitri Romanoff (with contributions from George Balanchine) in 1946, David Blair in 1968, Mikhail Baryshnikov in 1980 and 1987, and Kevin McKenzie in 1998. Now, 85 years later, Giselle is on the roster once again for ABT’s Summer 2025 season at the Metropolitan Opera House June 21 – 28.

Enjoy these photos of ABT’s Giselle over the years, featuring some of ballet history’s most iconic dancers (and ABT stars) in the leading roles.