Throwback Thursday and Guiseppina Bozzachi
Guiseppina Bozzachi (1853-1870), was an Italian ballerina
who had one of the shortest careers in dance history. She trained with Amina
Boschetti, prima ballerina of Milan and also with Mme. Doninque in Paris.
Guiseppina is remembered for being the first dancer to
perform the role of Swanhilda in the ballet Coppélia that was choreographed by
Arthur Saint-Léon to music composed by Delibes. She was only sixteen years old
at the time, and danced the ballet's premiere performance before Napoleon III.
She went on to dance the role seventeen more times, but when
the Paris Opera shut its doors for the Franco-Prussian war, she performed it
for the last, and eighteen time, on the 31st of August. This was a
difficult period in history for dancers, since the Opera had ceased paying its performers.
Guiseppina, weakened by her many performances and lack of money to purchase sufficient
food, became ill with smallpox. She died on the morning of her seventeenth
birthday.
From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:
Dance History Factoid #84:
“Guiseppina Bozzachi
was the first Swanhilda in the ballet Coppelia.”
Link of the Day:
Quote
of the Day:
““You cannot protect yourself from sadness
without protecting yourself from happiness.”
― Jonathan Safran Foer
― Jonathan Safran Foer
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