Interview with Carlotta Grisi

      Presenting the lovely ballet dancer: Carlotta Grisi!

                         Interview: Question and Answer

Well I am here with Miss Grisi to discuss her amazing life in the arts. How is your day going so far?

Grisi: Hello there! My day is going favoloso so far. I’m thrilled about the interview.

Alright well let’s get started.

Q:  What’s your homeland like?

A: I’m from an old Istria village in Italy. (Smrikve)  It’s located in upper Italy and its called Visinida. Milan is also where I took my dance classes and learned my technique. The school was called La Scala School of Milan. (Streetswing)   It’s a beautiful place to live, just delightful!

Q: Could you tell us a little about your family history?

A: My mother and father, Marie Grisi and Vincenzo Grisi worked for a public surveyors department. My family was well known for being involved in the opera. My sister Ernesta was an opera singer and we later went on tour together, her singing and me dancing with the occasion of me singing also.  Two other family members were cousins in the opera business Giuditta and Giulia Grisi. Both were sopranos and Giulia ended up marrying Giovanni Mario who was also an opera singer. She was a fabulous opera singer. (streetswing)

So you can see how opera singing was a very important talent in my family but I decided to stay away from it even though I have an amazing voice. My parents wanted me to pursue my singing talents.

Q: What made you want to get interested in the art of dance?

A: Well I being in dance at an early age made me acknowledge my skill and then I met an amazing person when I went on tour with my sister at the age of 14. Jules Perrot. After I met him he became a leading figure in my life. He was already known for his wonderful ballet dancing. He has worked with a dancer friend of mine, Marie Taglioni. We instantly clicked and he became my mentor. (everything2)

Q: How did Jules Perrot influence your interests and development in dancing?

A: First of all me and Jules fell deeply in love, not long after we met and he started teaching me. Of course after I was hooked I would listen to anything he told me. But he influenced me that my gift for dancing was so great she couldn’t pursue her parents’ wishes of singing and waste her dance talents. He being my dance partner and lover helped me work hard and get great praise all around Europe, Munich, Milan, Vienna, and Paris. His love for me made me a success. (cartage.org)

Jules was hard on me and choreographed many pieces for me to dance in.  After my tour with my sister throughout Paris I got noticed by great dancers like Jules and I was very grateful that he wanted to teach me out of all dancers.

Q: What was the world going through when your art first came up?

A: I was just a toddler probably when dance was first coming up. I was born just after the war of 1812, in 1819.  There was a lack of theatrical schools, which brought forth untrained and amateur artist of all kinds including dance. Dance was in by the time I started my training because the war provided development in ballet in provinces. I stared to dance during the romantic art time period which was very popular for dancers. (Bakhrushin)

Q: How did different cultures including your own and political economic things affect your work?

A: Most of the characters I played were similar based to my Italian culture. Russia was where dance was originated from anyways so it didn’t have too much of a bad effect on me.

Q: What helped you make your major accomplishments?

A: Like I said before Jules Perrot had a huge part to my career. He trained me hard and influenced me to go further with my dancing. If it weren’t for him I would have probably went with the family into the opera business. Meeting him was the best thing that’s happen to me and I’m very thankful for him. My family accepting what I wanted to do also helped. My role of Giselle that was choreographed by Theophile got my sister a husband so I’m glad my dancing and connections resulted in a marriage with the two.

My sister has a major part to because of our tour when I was only 14 got me a lot of praise. I’ve heard of Theophiles admiration of me about doing the part of Giselle. (cmi)  it makes me feel honored to have his appreciation. Giselle was my first full length ballet and it paid 5,000 francs which is good money. (Cartage)

Q: Could you name those accomplishments?

A: Dancing at the school for music and dance in Milan is definitely a big one. Without my start in that school I would have neither talents of singing or dancing. Touring around Italy at a young age was big for me also. Even though I didn’t want to go with my singing I got many offers to continue in a singing career. I performed with my love Perrot for my London debut, at the theatre de la renaissance at the Paris opera. There I did a little of singing and dancing. (Andros Gus Dick)

Q: What kind of opportunities did you have that influenced your artistic life?

A: Hmm my parents deciding to put me in dance classes at eight years old helped me a lot. Taking my techniques to cities in other countries helped me gain other ways to train and helped me to try new things while getting better. (Ashley) My favorite person Jules Perrot, training with him was a major lucky opportunity because not only did he jump my career he gave me a beautiful gift which is my baby girl Marie-June. I will forever be grateful of that. Meeting him was a dream come true.

Q: Were there any hard times that stopped you from reaching your goal?

A: Yes there were hardships in my life that held me back. For instance my long line of family being involved with the opera singing put pressure on me to follow their footsteps. Also my great fame was getting all the credit due to backstage intrigues Perrot was given no credit for his hard work. That put a strain on his career so he left me to dancing on my own. I had to prove that I could do it on my own and I did. I still performed and starred in many ballets.

Our relationship got better but we then decided to split. That’s when I was out and about and became pregnant again by Prince Radziwell. That ended my dance career because he persuaded me to retire even if I was at the height of my career or not for our child. (Andros Gus Dick)

Q: Who do you admire most in arts and beyond?

A: I admired the father of my first child Jules Perrot. He inspired me to go on with my dancing and not give in to what my parents wanted. I admired his work before we met and I still do. I’ve answered this so many times you probably think I’m obsessed with the man so ill end on that note!

Thank you for coming in today I appreciated your time and company here!

                                                Bibliography

Andros Gus Dick, M. M... "Carlotta Grisi (1819-1899)." Andros on ballet. N.p., 1987. Web. 2 Mar 2012. <http://michaelminn.net/andros/biographies/grisi_carlotta/>.

Ashley, "Ballet History.”. ., 2004. Web. 2 Mar 2012.

<http://bongbaby86.tripod.com/id34.html>.

 Bakhrushin, Yuri A. "Ballet in Russia." 0. <http://www.aha.ru/~vladmo/d_txt8.html>.

. "Carlotta Grisi.”. ., n.d. Web. 2 Mar 2012. <http://everything2.com/title/Carlotta Grisi>.

. "Dance History.”. ., 2010. Web. 2 Mar 2012. <http://www.streetswing.com/histmai2/d2grisi1.htm>.

Guest, Ivor. "Jules Perrot.”. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Mar 2012. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/452587/Jules-Perrot>.

 . Web. 2 Mar 2012. <http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/Biographies/MainBiographies/G/Grisi/01.html>.

 Web. 2 Mar 2012. <http://www.smrikve.com/istria/>.