Act One

(The story is set in a medieval Rhineland village in vineyard country.) Hilarion, the village gamekeeper, is in love with Giselle, who is also the object of the affections of the youthful Albrecht, Duke of Silesia. The latter, however, is in disguise as a peasant using the name Loys. Giselle's mother, Berthe, wants her to marry Hilarion, but when Loys expresses his love for her, she succumbs to his charms, much to the dismay of Hilarion, who, after being rejected by her and driven off by Loys, decides he will take revenge against the young peasant.

It is wine harvest time and the peasants are celebrating. Giselle takes part in the festivities, having been warned by Berthe that too much dancing can be dangerous for young girls. She tells {%Giselle) that some girls have died and become Wilis, ghost-like beings that roam the forest in the night in pursuit of young men, who dance under their spell until they fall dead from exhaustion. The Prince of Kurland and his beautiful daughter Princess Bathilde arrive amid the festivities, and Giselle dances for her. Bathilde is betrothed to Albrecht and she now departs. Loys arrives and by now Hilarion has learned of his true identity, having discovered a special sword he had hidden away. He reveals the peasant youth is really Duke Albrecht and summons the Princess. Albrecht, ignoring Giselle and explaining his disguise as a harmless amusement, takes the Princess arm-in-arm to the utter shock of Giselle. She goes mad and dances spellbound before the crowd, which includes Berthe. Giselle picks up the sword belonging to Albrecht and plunges it into her heart, her mother clutching her in her arms as she dies. A contrite Albrecht stands aghast at the scene.

Act Two

It is midnight and Hilarion wanders about Giselle's gravesite. Myrta, the Queen of the Wilis, appears and summons her ghostly sister spirits, among whom now is Giselle, who hovers above her tomb. Hilarion wanders off as Albrecht approaches carrying lilies for the grave. He sees Giselle's image and is entranced by it, following it into the woods. Hilarion returns and is encircled by a throng of Wilis, who induce him to dance wildly until he falls dead. Albrecht now reenters the scene and is condemned to the same fate as that of Hilarion by the Wilis' Queen, but Giselle intercedes, using a cross to protect him. Still, the two are forced to dance, but Albrecht is inspired by her love and survives the marathon event until dawn arrives, at which time the spirits return to the kingdom of shadows, Giselle among them. Albrecht is left alone to grieve.

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