Giuseppina Bozzacchi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Giuseppina Bozzacchi
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Giuseppina Bozzacchi as Swanhilde in Coppélia
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| Born | 23 November 1853 |
| Died | 23 November 1870 (aged 17) |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Occupation | Ballet dancer |
Giuseppina Bozzacchi (born November 23, 1853 – died November 23, 1870) was a talented ballerina from Italy. She is famous for being the very first dancer to play the role of Swanhilda in the ballet Coppélia by Léo Delibes. She was only 16 years old when she performed this role with the Paris Opéra Ballet.
Contents
Becoming a Star Ballerina
Giuseppina Bozzacchi was born in Milan, Italy. She moved to Paris to study ballet with a teacher named Mme Dominique.
The Search for Swanhilda
The ballet Coppélia needed a perfect dancer for the main role, Swanhilda. The choreographer, Arthur Saint-Léon, and the director of the Académie Royale de Musique, Émile Perrin, looked for a long time. They considered other dancers, but none seemed quite right. Another dancer, Adèle Grantzow, was supposed to play the part but became very ill.
They even asked the composer, Léo Delibes, to look for a suitable dancer when he traveled to Italy. He didn't find anyone. But then, Saint-Léon and Perrin discovered 16-year-old Giuseppina Bozzacchi. They knew she was the one!
Her Famous Performance
Giuseppina first performed as Swanhilda on May 25, 1870. The Emperor Napoléon III was in the audience. She was a huge success and continued to perform the role many times.
War and Its Impact
In July 1870, a war started between France and Prussia. This was called the Franco-Prussian War. Because of the war, the Paris Opéra had to close on August 31. Giuseppina danced Swanhilda for the 18th and last time that day.
The Opéra could no longer pay its dancers. Giuseppina became weak from not having enough food. She then got very sick with smallpox and a fever. Sadly, she died on the morning of her 17th birthday. She was buried in Paris at the Cimetière de Montmartre.
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