Grisi, Carlotta (1819-1899)

Grisi, Carlotta

DANCER (AUSTRIAN EMPIRE)

BORN 28 Jun 1819, Visinada, Istria - DIED 20 May 1899, St. Jean (estate near Genève)
BIRTH NAME Grisi, Caronne Adele Giuseppina Maria
GRAVE LOCATION Vernier, Genève: Cimetière de Châtelaine, Chemin François-Furet (Ward 10, Grave 1)

Carlotta Grisi was the younger sister of the opera singer Ernesta Grisi and Giulia Grisi and Giuditta Grisi were her cousins. She started her education at the ballet school of La Scala when she was seven years old. In 1834 she met the dancer and choreographer Jules Perrot, who was the lover of the famous dancer Maria Taglioni. Perrot left Tagliani and became the teacher as well as the lover of Carlotta. He took her to Paris and in 1837 they had a daughter, Marie-Jules. After she performed in London and Paris they travelled in Europe and visited Vienna, Munich and Milan.

In 1841 she was engaged at the Opera in Paris where she debuted in Donizetti's "La favorita". Her performance in the premiere of "Giselle" By A.C. Adam on 28 June 1841 settled her fame. Shortly afterwards she and Perrot separated, although they continued their professional collaboration. In 1845 she performed in London in the Pas-de-Quatre that was written to bring the four best dancers together. The other three were Maria Tagliono, Fanny Cerito and Lucile Grahn.

In 1849 she gave her last performance in Paris in 1850 she went to St. Petersburg with Perrot. She stayed there until 1853 and in 1854 she appeared in Warsaw. There she met prince Leon Radziwill (1808-1885). He made her pregnant en encouraged her to end her career. Her daughter Léontine Grisi was born in 1853 and she settled at an estate at St. Jean near Geneva that the prince had givent her. There she lived for the rest of her life.

Related persons
• was a friend of Gautier, Théophile
• performed with Grahn-Young, Lucile
• is cousin of Grisi, Giulia

Events

28/6/1841	Premiere of Adolphe Adam's "Giselle" at the Salle le Peletier in Paris. Carotta Grisi performed the part of Giselle, Lucien Petipa was Albrecht and Adèle Dumilâtre was Myrtha. The choreographers were Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot. the music was written by Adolphe Adam and the libretto by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Théophile Gautier. [Adam, Adolphe-Charles][Gautier, Théophile]
10/7/1845	Premiere of Perrot's Pas-de-Quatre in London [Cerrito, Fanny][Grahn-Young, Lucile][Taglioni, Marie]

Images
The grave of Carlotta Grisi at the Cimetière de Châtelaine, Genève. Picture by Androom (21 Aug 2019)	The grave of Carlotta Grisi at the Cimetière de Châtelaine, Genève. Picture by Androom (21 Aug 2019)