This year sees another notable musical anniversary, besides those involving Mozart, Shostakovich and Schumann. It is 150 years since the death of the prolific French composer Adolphe Adam, who wrote more than 50 scores for the stage, only one of which - that for Giselle - maintains a place in the repertoire.

What wonderful, melodic music he provided for this lovely ballet, which St Petersburg Ballet Theatre offered on the first night of their visit this week to Northampton's newly renovated Derngate Theatre. It was thrillingly interpreted by the company's orchestra under conductor Aleksandr Kantorov. The warm bucolic revelries of the early scenes around our heroine's village home were superbly managed, with Irina Kolesnikova (pictured) showing Giselle's joie de vivre in every beautifuly placed step. The caddish treatment she receives from the feckless duke, Albrecht (Dmitry Akulinin), results in her suicide and an abrupt change of mood. In the second half of the ballet she is in the supernatural world of the Wilis, the spirits of dancing girls betrayed and abandoned by their lovers. Their leader, Myrtha, was superbly danced by Yulia Petrova, one of the many stars that shine in this hugely talented comany.

The tour continues with performances of The Nutcracker, tonight and tomorrow (01604 624811)