Gasparo Angiolini facts for kids

This is the title page from the original music score of Gluck's opera Orfeo ed Euridice from 1764.

Gasparo Angiolini (born February 7, 1731 – died February 6, 1803) was a famous Italian dancer, choreographer, and composer. His real name was Domenico Maria Gasparo. He was born in Florence and passed away in Milan. Angiolini is known for his important work in ballet, especially for making dance tell a story.

A Pioneer in Ballet

Gasparo Angiolini was a very important person in the history of ballet. He believed that dance should not just be beautiful movements. Instead, he thought dance should tell a clear story and show strong emotions. This idea was quite new for his time.

Working in Vienna

In 1758, Angiolini became the director of ballet at the Imperial Theatre in Vienna. There, he worked closely with a famous composer named Christoph Willibald von Gluck. Together, they created some very important works.

One of their famous ballets was Don Juan ou le Festin de Pierre (1761). They also worked on the opera Orfeo ed Euridice (1762). In both of these, Angiolini made sure the dancing helped to tell the story. He wanted the drama to be the most important part of the performance.

Moving to Russia

After his time in Vienna, Angiolini moved to St. Petersburg, Russia. In 1766, he took over as the director of the Imperial Theatre there. He followed another famous ballet director, Franz Hilverding. Both Angiolini and Hilverding are known for bringing a type of ballet called "pantomime ballet" to Russia. In pantomime ballet, dancers use gestures and movements to tell a story without speaking.

Angiolini also tried to include parts of Russian culture in his ballets. He used Russian songs, folk dances, and local stories in his work. This helped to make his ballets special and connect with the Russian audience.

Later Career and Ideas

Later in his career, Angiolini worked in other famous theaters. In 1772 and 1773, he worked at the Teatro San Benedetto in Venice. Then, in 1778, he moved to Milan to direct the ballet at La Scala. La Scala is one of the most famous opera houses in the world.

Angiolini was always interested in how dance could be used to tell a dramatic story. He also cared a lot about Italian culture. He often spoke about how other countries like Germany and Russia were supporting arts better than Italy was at the time.

Family and Students

Gasparo Angiolini was married to a ballerina named Marie Thérèse Foliazzi ^[ru] (1733–1792).

His son (or nephew), Pietro Angiolini, also became a dancer and choreographer. His daughter, Fortunata Angiolini ^[ru] (1776–1817), was also a very successful dancer. She performed in cities like Lisbon and London with her dance partner, Armand Vestris.

Gasparo Angiolini also taught many students. One of his famous students was Vincenzo Galeotti, who became an important ballet master himself.

See also

In Spanish: Gasparo Angiolini para niños