Jean Dauberval, a.k.a. Jean D’Auberval, (born Jean Bercher in Montpellier, 19 August 1742 –

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, 14 February 1806), was a French dancer and ballet master. He is most noted for creating the ballet, ''

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'', one of the most enduring and popular works of the ballet repertoire. Dauberval was trained at the school of the

Paris Opéra The Paris Opera (, ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be k ...

where he studied under the great

Jean-Georges Noverre Jean-Georges Noverre (29 April 1727 19 October 1810) was a French dancer and balletmaster, and is generally considered the creator of ''ballet d'action'', a precursor of the narrative ballets of the 19th century. His birthday is now observed as ...

. He was appointed ''premier danseur'' of the ballet of the

Académie Royale de Musique The Paris Opera (, ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be k ...

in 1763, and, in 1771, he was named ballet master. From 1781 until 1783, he was engaged as ''Maître de Ballet'' to the Académie, and in 1783–84 season in London's King's Theatre. In 1783, Dauberval moved to

Bordeaux Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefect ...

, where he accepted the post of ''maître de ballet'' to the

Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux The Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux is an opera house in Bordeaux, France, first inaugurated on 17 April 1780. It was in this theatre that the ballet '' La fille mal gardée'' premiered in 1789, and where a young Marius Petipa staged some of his fir ...

, a position he held until 1791. In 1789, Dauberval created his most enduring ballet, ''La Fille mal gardée'', in which his wife, the dancer Marie-Madeleine Crespé, who is known to history as Madame Théodore, created the role of Lison. (The role is known as "Lise" today.) Charles Didelot sometimes referred to as the ''father of the Russian ballet'', and Salvatore Vigano who in Italy, introduced dance-drama were Dauberval's pupils. During his time, he was admired most for his ability to integrate dramatic action into dance.

Noted works

*''The Pastimes of Terpsicore'' (1783, King's Theatre, London) *''Friendship lead to Love'' (1783, King's Theater, London) *''The Slaves of Conquering Bacchus'' (1784, King's Theater, London) *''Le Réveil du bonheur'' (1784, King's Theater, London) *''Orpheo'' (1784, King's Theatre, London) *''The Four Ages of Man'' (1784, King's Theatre, London) *''Pygmalion'' (1784, King's Theatre, London) *''Le Déserteur, ou La Clémence Royale'' (1784, King's Theatre, London) * ''Le Page inconstant'' (1787, based on '' La Folle Journée, ou Le Mariage de Figaro'' by

Beaumarchais Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (; 24 January 1732 – 18 May 1799) was a French polymath. At various times in his life, he was a watchmaker, inventor, playwright, musician, diplomat, spy, publisher, horticulturist, arms dealer, satirist, ...

, Grand-Théâtre, Bordeaux) * ''Psyché et l'Amour'' (1788, Grand-Théâtre, Bordeaux) * ''

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'' (1789, Grand-Théâtre, Bordeaux) *''Amphion et Thalie, ou L’Élève des Muses'' (1791, Pantheon Theatre, London) *''Telemachus in the Island of Calipso'' (1791, Pantheon Theatre, London) *''Le Triomphe de la Folie'' (1791, Pantheon Theatre, London) *''Le Siège de Cythère'' (1791, Pantheon Theatre, London) *''La Fontaine d’amour'' (1791, Pantheon Theatre, London) *''L’Amant déguisé'' (1791, Pantheon Theatre, London) *''La Fête villageoise'' (1791, Pantheon Theatre, London)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dauberval, Jean 18th-century French ballet dancers French male ballet dancers Ballet choreographers French choreographers 1742 births 1806 deaths People from Montpellier Paris Opera Ballet étoiles Paris Opera Ballet artistic directors French ballet masters