Aurelia Dimier | |
|---|---|
 Mlle Dimier in Giselle , act 2. | |
| Born | Aurelia Dimier August 22, 1827 |
| Died | |
| Nationality |  France |
| Other names | Madame Dimier Mademoiselle Dimier |
| Occupation | Ballet dancer |
Aurelia Dimier, known professionally as Mlle Dimier, was a French ballet dancer.
Aurelia Dimier was born in Paris, France on August 22, 1827. [1]
Aurelia's stage name was Mademoiselle Dimier (or Mlle Dimier). Dimier was engaged in her studies and dance performances in Paris during the years 1836 to 1846. [1] Studying at the Paris Opera Ballet School, she ascended through the corps de ballet under Jean Coralli and Jean-Baptiste Barrez. In the late 1830s and early 1840s, she took the stage at the Paris Opera with distinguished dancers such as Fanny Elssler, Lucille Grahn, and Carlotta Grisi. [2] In the mid-1840s, Dimier performed at the Paris Opera in the ballet Paquita with choreographic work by Joseph Mazilier. [3] She engaged in other supporting roles and played a small part of Giselle , a romantic ballet. [4] After the expiration of her contract, she accepted an offer from M. Fréderick to tour in the United States. [1]
On February 2, 1846, she debuted in America with a role in the New York City premiere of Giselle . [5] Her debut appearance at Burton's Theatre featured Mlle Augusta, Madame Céleste, Mons Fréderick, and Mr. B. Yates, and the performance ran for eleven nights. [6] During that year, Dimier also performed in the ballet Pas de Bouquet. [7]
In February 1847, Mlle Dimier joined Mlle Augusta and Mons Fréderick for performances in Washington. However, by April of that year in New Orleans, reports indicated that Mlle Dimier and Mlle Augusta would no longer continue their partnership on stage. [8] On October 20, 1847, Mlle Dimier secured a brief engagement and performed for eight nights with Mlle Fanny Mautin, Mons Schmidt, Mr. Charles, and Miss Kennerly. [9]
After returning to France, she embarked on a South American tour, debuting in Chile on December 18, 1850, before traveling to Peru, California, and Australia. [1] In 1855, Dimier visited in Australia and had been performing at the Royal Victoria Theatre. [2] In Sydney, Dimier starred in the leading role in Le Diable à quatre . [4] Dimier was a contemporary of Madame Strebinger and Lola Montes. When Lola Montes departed the U.S. to tour Australia in 1855, it interferred with Aurelia Dimier's season. Shortly thereafter, Aurelia exited to Melbourne's Olympic Theatre eventually performing the Australian premiere of Giselle . [2]
The French dancer later established her permanent residence in Valparaíso, Chile, continuing to teach dance while also running a hotel. [1] She established the Hotel Dimier, located in Plaza del Orden (now known as Plaza Aníbal Pinto). [10]
Mlle Dimier died in Chile in the 19th century.
In 1846–47, Mlle Dimier's estranged uncle in Louisiana contacted The Boston Times upon discovering that she was potentially the daughter of his brother, whom he hadn't spoken to in 15 years. [11]
Anna Pavlovna Pavlova was a Russian prima ballerina. She was a principal artist of the Imperial Russian Ballet and the Ballets Russes of Sergei Diaghilev, but is most recognized for creating the role of The Dying Swan and, with her own company, being the first ballerina to tour the world, including South America, India, Mexico and Australia.
Giselle, originally titled Giselle, ou les Wilis, is a romantic ballet in two acts with music by Adolphe Adam. Considered a masterwork in the classical ballet performance canon, it was first performed by the Ballet du Théâtre de l'Académie Royale de Musique at the Salle Le Peletier in Paris on 28 June 1841, with Italian ballerina Carlotta Grisi as Giselle. It was an unqualified triumph. It became hugely popular and was staged at once across Europe, Russia, and the United States.
Carlotta Grisi was an Italian ballet dancer. Born in Visinada, Istria. Although her parents were not involved in the theatre, she was brought up in an opera family. She was trained at the ballet school of Teatro alla Scala in Milan and later with dancer/balletmaster Jules Perrot. She was especially noted for her performance in the classic role of Giselle.
Natalia Romanovna Makarova is a Russian prima ballerina and choreographer. The History of Dance, published in 1981, notes that "her performances set standards of artistry and aristocracy of dance which mark her as the finest ballerina of her generation in the West."
The Salle Le Peletier or Lepeletier was the home of the Paris Opera from 1821 until the building was destroyed by fire in 1873. The theatre was designed and constructed by the architect François Debret on the site of the garden of the Hôtel de Choiseul on the rue Lepeletier. Due to the many changes in government and management during the theatre's existence, it had a number of different official names, the most important of which were: Théâtre de l'Académie Royale de Musique (1821–1848), Opéra-Théâtre de la Nation (1848–1850), Théâtre de l'Académie Nationale de Musique (1850–1852), Théâtre de l'Académie Impériale de Musique (1852–1854), Théâtre Impérial de l'Opéra (1854–1870), and Théâtre National de l'Opéra (1870–1873).
Jules-Joseph Perrot was a French dancer and choreographer who later became Ballet Master of the Imperial Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia. He created some of the most famous ballets of the 19th century including Pas de Quatre, La Esmeralda, Ondine, and Giselle with Jean Coralli.
Jean Coralli was a French ballet dancer and choreographer, best known for collaborating with Jules Perrot in creating Giselle (1841), the quintessential Romantic ballet of the nineteenth century.
Paquita is a ballet in two acts and three scenes originally choreographed by Joseph Mazilier to music by Édouard Deldevez and Ludwig Minkus. Paul Foucher received royalties as librettist.
Emmanuel Thibault is a French dancer.
Élisabeth Platel is a French prima ballerina.
Leonid Kozlov is a former principal dancer of the Bolshoi and New York City Ballet. He is also a choreographer, the founder and owner of Kozlov Dance International (KDI) and Youth Dance Festival of New Jersey.
Manuel Legris is a French ballet dancer. He is an étoile with the Paris Opera Ballet for 23 years. On September 1, 2010, he became the director of the Vienna State Ballet. In December 2020, he was appointed artistic director of the La Scala Theatre Ballet.
The important place of women in dance can be traced back to the origins of civilization. Cave paintings, Egyptian frescos, Indian statuettes, ancient Greek and Roman art and records of court traditions in China and Japan all testify to the important role women played in ritual and religious dancing from the start. In the Middle Ages, what has become known as ballet had its beginnings in Italian court festivals when women frequently played the parts of men. It was however in late 17th-century France that the Paris Opera produced the first celebrated ballerinas. While women began to dominate the ballet scene in the 18th century, it was with the advent of Romantic ballet in the 19th century that they became the undisputed centre of attraction with stars playing the leading roles in the works of Marius Petipa, appearing in theatres across Europe from Milan's La Scala to the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg. More recently, women have played a leading role in developing various forms of modern dance including flamenco and expressionist dance.
Elena Ivanovna Andreïanova, sometimes spelt Yelena Andreyanova, 13 July 1819 St. Petersburg - 28 October 1857 Paris, was a Russian ballerina. She is considered to be the outstanding Russian ballerina of the romantic genre, but her life was one full of tragedy.
Hannah O'Neill is a New Zealand ballet dancer who is an étoile with the Paris Opera Ballet.
Hermine Blangy was a French ballet dancer in the Paris Opéra. In 1840 she danced the title role of La Sylphide there. She was also prima ballerina for the Hofoper in Vienna, and danced on tour in the USA. Blangy's first appearance in America was at Niblo's Garden in July 1846, as Calista in Vengeance of Diana. Noah Miller Ludlow reports that "this artist gave unqualified satisfaction in all of her performances, and was unquestionably a fine pantomimist as well as dancer."
Mary Ann Lee was an American ballerina from Philadelphia. She was one of the first American ballerinas and her 10-year career included the first American performance of Giselle in Boston in 1846.
Augusta Maywood, born Augusta Williams, was the first American ballerina to gain international recognition. In a career spanning forty-four years, she danced at the Paris Opera and became prima ballerina at both the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos in Lisbon and La Scala in Milan. Maywood was the first ballerina to have her own touring ensemble company.
Julia Anne Turnbull was an American dancer and actress. She studied ballet with French dancer Mme LeComte and LeComte's brother, Jules Martin, and with James Sylvain. Turnbull became very popular in the United States in the 1840s by playing classic title roles such as Giselle and Esmeralda.
Caroline Augusta Josephine Thérèse Fuchs, known professionally as Mlle Augusta, was a German ballet dancer.