She instructs him to wind the scarf about the sylph's shoulders and arms for full effect. James is ecstatic. When the sylph returns and sees the scarf, she allows James to place it around her trembling form. As James embraces the sylph passionately, her wings fall off, she shudders, and dies in James' arms. Sorrowfully, her sisters enter and lift her lifeless form. Suddenly, a joyful wedding procession led by Effie and Gurn crosses the glade. James is stunned. James directs his gaze heavenward; he sees the sylph borne aloft by her sisters. James collapses. Madge exults over his lifeless body. She has triumphed. Characters James Ruben, a Scottish farmer The Sylph, a forest spirit Gurn, James' friend Effie, James' fiancée Old Madge, a village sorceress Effie's mother, an elderly woman Bridesmaids, wedding guests, witches Other versions John Barnett's 1834 opera The Mountain Sylph is based on the storyline of La Sylphide; this opera's plot was in turn satirized by W. S. Gilbert in the 1882 Savoy opera, Iolanthe. La Sylphide is often confused with the 1909 ballet Les Sylphides, another ballet involving a mythical sylph. The latter was choreographed by Michel Fokine for the Ballets Russes, using music by Frédéric Chopin, as a short performance. Though inspired by La Sylphide, it was meant to be performed as an independent ballet with its own merits. Matthew Bourne created an updated version of La Sylphide in his 1994 production, Highland Fling. This is set in contemporary Scotland (of the 1990s) and uses the original score by Herman Severin Løvenskiold. Johan Kobborg's version of Bournonville's ballet with new choreography premiered in October 2005 at the Royal Opera House. As a major change, it has a youngish Madge with the sylph background and cliffhanger ending. See also List of ballets by August Bournonville Emma Livry References Notes Sources Footnotes: La Sylphide La Sylphide Restored Think Quest:La Sylphide External links Bournonville "Sylfiden findes" - webpage for book on this ballet (In Danish, with summary in English a.o. languages) 1832 ballet premieres 1836 ballet premieres Ballets by Adolphe Nourrit Ballets by Filippo Taglioni Ballets by August Bournonville Danish Culture Canon Ballets premiered at the Paris Opera Ballet Adaptations of works by Charles Nodier Scotland in fiction Sylphs