Anna Maria Felicita Bonfanti (1845-1921), known as Marie or Marietta Bonfanti, was an American ballet dancer. She made her New York City debut came at

Niblo's Garden Niblo's Garden was a theater on Broadway and Crosby Street, near Prince Street, in SoHo, Manhattan, New York City. It was established in 1823 as "Columbia Garden" which in 1828 gained the name of the ''Sans Souci'' and was later the property of ...

on Monday, September 10, 1866. She then was the prima ballerina in ''

The Black Crook ''The Black Crook'' is a work of musical theatre first produced in New York City with great success in 1866. Many theatre writers have cautiously identified ''The Black Crook'' as the first popular piece that conforms to the modern notion of a mu ...

'' at the same theatre, which premièred two days later. She appeared in '' Sylvia'' by

Léo Delibes Clément Philibert Léo Delibes (; 21 February 1836 – 16 January 1891) was a French Romantic music, Romantic composer, best known for his ballets and French opera, operas. His works include the ballets ''Coppélia'' (1870) and ''Sylvia (ba ...

at the Metropolitan Alcazar concert hall on July 15, 1882. In August 1901, Bonfanti performed with

Rita Sangalli Rita Sangalli (20 August 1849 – 3 November 1909) was an Italian ballet dancer. Born in Antegnate, she danced in the Italian provinces of Asti, Piacenza, and Turin, making her 1865 debut at Milan's La Scala in Paul Taglioni's (1808-1884) ''F ...

at the Metropolitan Opera House, during the inaugural season of ballet at the New York City venue. Her talent for expressionist dancing and her private life were covered widely from the mid-1860s until the early 20th century. Among her students (for a short period of time) were

Ruth Saint Denis Ruth St. Denis (born Ruth Denis; January 20, 1879 – July 21, 1968) was an American pioneer of modern dance, introducing eastern ideas into the art. She was the co-founder of the American Denishawn School of Dancing and Related Arts and the teac ...

and

Isadora Duncan Angela Isadora Duncan (May 26, 1877 or May 27, 1878 – September 14, 1927) was an American dancer and choreographer, who was a pioneer of modern contemporary dance, who performed to great acclaim throughout Europe and the US. Born and raised in ...

. Bonfanti was born in Italy. She was married to George Hoffman."The Bonfanti Romance", ''The New York Times'', December 31, 1876, p. 5.

References

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* * American ballerinas 1845 births 1921 deaths 19th-century American ballet dancers 20th-century American ballet dancers 20th-century American women 19th-century American women {{ballet-bio-stub