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Filippo Taglioni
Popular Italian choreographer of the Romantic era with works including "Robert le Diable", "La Sylphide", and "Revolt of the Harem". Father to ballerina Marie Taglioni. -
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Marie Taglioni
Daughter of Filippo Taglioni. Prima ballerina of the Romantic era. Popular in Europe. Christian, chaste and pure - portrayed everything you couldn't have. Starred at the sylph in "La Sylphide". Known for her ethereal on-stage presence. -
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August Bournonville
Danish choreographer and dancer. Director of the Royal Danish Ballet. Recreated "La Sylphide" in 1836. Insulted the King Christian VIII in 1841 when asked the king what he would like him to do after being hissed at by the audience. The audience was upset due to the dismissal of Grahn in 1839. Bournonville was banished for 6 months. -
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Fanny Elssler
Austrian, pagan dancer of the Romantic era. Known for her dramatic and sensuous dancing. Rival of Marie Taglioni. Traveled the world doing many guest spots in Europe and the America, where she was very popular. Performed solos inspired by folk dances. -
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Marius Petipa
French choreographer and dancer who had a long career as a premiere ballet master in St. Petersburg. Created many of the best-known classical ballets including: "The Daughter of Pharaoh" 1862, "The Nutcracker" 1892, "The Sleeping Beauty" 1890, and "Swan Lake" 1895. -
en pointe
There is no set date for the development of en pointe, however, it is believed the first time without wire was around 1820. Marie Taglioni is credited with the first full performance en point with her role in "La Sylphide" in 1832. -
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Heyday of Romantic Ballet
Can be seen before and after this time period, however, this is when it thrived. -
Robert le Diable
Choreographed by Filippo Taglioni. Starred his daughter Marie Taglioni. Music by Giacomo Meyerbeer. Premiered at the Paris Opera. Story around ghosts of nuns. -
La Sylphide
Choreographed by Filippo Taglioni. Premiered at the Paris Opera. Starred Marie Taglioni as the sylph and August Bournonville as James. Music by Jean Madeleine Schneitzhoeffer. Personified romantic themes including supernatural, femme fragile, and tragic endings. -
Revolt of the Harem
Choreographed by Filippo Taglioni. First ballet about the emancipation of women. -
Giselle
Created to highlight up-and-coming ballerina Carlotta Grisi. Choreographed by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot (lover of Grisi). Music by Adalphe Adam. Considered the height of Romantic Ballet. Premiered at the Paris Opera. -
Pas de Quatre
Premiered at Her Majesty's Theatre in London. Conceptualized by Benjamin Lumley. Choreographed by Jules Perrot. Created as at way to feature the star ballerina of the time. Danced by Taglioni, Cerrito, Grisi, and Grahn. Performance attended by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. -
Swan Lake
This ballet was last to reach popularity, but it was Tchaikovsky's first ballet crated in 1877. The originally choreography by Julius Reisinger was unpleasing. When choreographed by Joseph Hansen later on, it still fell short to audiences. It did not become successful until choreographed by Lev Ivanov for the memorial of Tchaikovsky in 1845. -
The Daughter of Pharaoh
Choreographed by Marius Petipa for ballerina Carolina Rosati. Five hour long and choreographed in under six weeks. Ballet that put Petipa on the map. -
Coppelia
Choreographed by Arthur Saint-Leon. Score by Leo Delibes. Starred Giuseppina Bozzacchi. Considered the period's last great ballet. The ballet was a great success, but was short lived due to the Franco-Prussian war, which caused a food shortage, taking the lives of both Saint-Leon and Bozzacchi, and caused the Paris Opera to close. -
The Sleeping Beauty
Choreographed by Marius Petipa. Scenario by Ivan Vsevolozhsky. Music by Tchaikovsky. -
The Nutcracker
Choreographed by Petipa, with music by Tchaikovsky. Petipa fell ill during its creation, causing it to be finished by his choreographic assistant Lev Ivanov.