Jules Perrot

Jules-Joseph Perrot was born in France in 1810. He first drew attention to his talent in his native Lyon by imitating the antics of the comic dancer Charles Mazurier. This led to an engagement at the Gaîté Théâtre in Paris in 1823. Moving to the larger, more prestigious Porte-Saint-Martin Théâtre, he became a pupil of Auguste Vestris, who prepared him for his successful debut in 1830 at the Paris Opéra.

Despite the period's prejudice against male dancers, Perrot was highly applauded for both his classical and his mime dancing. Within a year, he was promoted to the top rank of premier sujet (principal dancer) and selected to partner Marie Taglioni in Flore et Zéphire. A combination of knee trouble and the professional jealousy of his partner led to his resignation from the Opéra in 1835.


Perrot then toured Europe as a dancer and choreographer and was joined by the young ballerina Carlotta Grisi in Naples. As her teacher, mentor, and suitor, he accompanied her to London in 1836, and then to Vienna, where he produced his first important ballet, Der Kobold (1838). He hoped to marry Grisi, but although a daughter was born as a result of their liaison, she was reluctant to enter into such a commitment.


In 1841, Grisi was engaged at the Paris Opéra, but no offer was forthcoming for Perrot. He was, however, to be closely involved in her first Paris creation, Giselle. Most of the action was devised by him, but any hope he might have had that his contribution would be formally acknowledged was dashed because he was not officially on the payroll. As a result, the choreography was long credited solely to the Opéra’s ballet master, Jean Coralli.


Perrot and Grisi went their separate ways and Perrot began his seven-year association with London's opera house, Her Majesty's Theatre. He started in 1842 as assistant to the aging ballet master, André Deshayes, but gained full control by 1843. This was to be the most productive phase of Perrot's career. Working with nearly all the most celebrated ballerinas of the time, he produced 23 ballets of varying importance, including several lasting masterpieces, each skillfully crafted to highlight the particular qualities of its ballerina. For Fanny Elssler, he produced Le Délire d’un peintre (1843); for Fanny Cerrito, Ondine (1843) and Lalla Rookh (1846); for Grisi, La Esmeralda (1844); and for Lucile Grahn, Eoline (1845) and Catarina (1846). He also staged an extraordinary series of multi-stellar divertissements, among them the sensational Pas de quatre (1845).


Pas de quatre was particularly amazing because it was the first effort in the history of ballet to persuade four of the most famous ballerinas of the day to appear together. The ballet displayed the artistry of Taglioni, Cerrito, Grisi, and Grahn, without any one of them feeling disadvantaged. This was quite a feat considering the professional rivalry between these ladies. The performance left the public and critics speechless and was discussed for a long time after.


Pas de quatre was followed by other divertissements of the same type: Le Jugement de Pâris (1846), Les Éléments (1847), and Les Quatre Saisons (1848).


Perrot left for Russia in 1849, where he was engaged as principal ballet master of the Imperial Russian Ballet in St. Petersburg until 1860. There he produced expanded versions of Esmeralda and Catarina and a series of major new works, including The Naiad and the Fisherman (1851), The War of the Women (1852), and Gazelda (1853), all for Grisi, and Armida (1855) for Cerrito.

Perrot retired after a disappointing season in Milan in 1864. In later years, he gave classes at the Paris Opéra, where he was immortalized by the Impressionist artist Edgar Degas in paintings such as The Dance Class (1874). Perrot died in France on August 24, 1892.