Classic ballet ‘La Sylphide’ returns to Albania’s national stage

TIRANA, Nov. 3 (TemA) — The National Theatre of Opera and Ballet in Tirana is bringing back the magic of classical dance with the premiere of “La Sylphide,” one of the most romantic ballets ever staged.

“It’s a beautiful, impossible love story between a young man and a creature of the air,” said Edi Blloshmi, the company’s artistic director.

Set in mist-covered 19th-century Scotland, the ballet follows James, a young man torn between earthly love and ethereal desire. Enchanted by a woodland spirit, he abandons his fiancée Effie — only to lose everything in a tragic twist.

With its lyrical score and delicate choreography, La Sylphide blends realism and fantasy in a timeless tale of longing. The production opens Monday night and continues on Nov. 5.