Ozaï; ou l'Insulaire

Ozaï
Native titleOzaï; ou l'Insulaire
ChoreographerJean Coralli
MusicCasimir Gide
Premiere26 April 1847 (1847-04-26)
Théâtre de l'Académie Royale de Musique, Paris, France
GenrePantomime
TypeBallet

Ozaï; ou l'Insulaire (English: Ozaï; or, The Islander) is a French ballet-pantomime created by Jean Coralli and performed in the late 1840s. It succeeded Le Diable boiteux and was Coralli's last ballet.[1]

Background

The ballet Ozaï; ou l'Insulaire was presented in two acts with music composed by Casimir Gide and choreography by Jean Coralli.[1] The costumes were designed by Paul Lormier.[2]

Premiering on 26 April 1847, the first performance took place at the Théâtre de l'Académie Royale de Musique (known as Paris Opéra).[3] It was performed with Belgian ballerina Adeline Plunkett starring in the title role of "Ozaï".[4]

Music

Parisian composer Casimir Gide produced the musical arrangement of Ozaï; ou l'Insulaire.[5] Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Tolbecque later adapted the piece originally composed by Gide for a quadrille score.

Roles

The lead dancers for the 1847 opening of Ozaï were the following artists:

Role Première cast, 26 April 1847
(Cast member: - )
Ozaï Mlle Adeline Plunkett
M. De Bougainville M. Élie
M. de Surville Desplaces
Abbot (Abbé) Jean Coralli
Bidgi (mousse négre) Jean Coralli
Two sailors (Deux Matelots) Adice, Quériaut
Financier Monet
The King of France (Le Roi de France) Lenfant
The Minister of the Navy (Le Ministre de la Marine) Petit
Jockey Wiéthof I
Mlle de Bouganville Mlle C. Émarot
Mme de Bouganville Mlle Delaquit
La Guimard Mlle Zélie
La Soubrette Mlle Pézé
The Marquis Mlle Maria
French Guard (Le Garde Française) Mlle Maria[3]

Synopsis

The Ozaï; ou l'insulaire depicts the noble savage and is partially inspired by the adventures of French explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville. It tells the story of Ozaï, a Tahitian maiden who falls in love with Surville, a shipwrecked sailor. Surville, believing he will never return home, promises to marry Ozaï. However, both end up in France, where Ozaï learns that Surville cannot marry his former betrothed due to his promise to her. Heartbroken, Ozaï decides to relinquish Surville and returns to her South Seas home.[1]

Media related to Ozai (ballet) at Wikimedia Commons

References

  1. ^ a b c Studwell, W. E., Schueneman, B. R. (1997). Minor Ballet Composers: Biographical Sketches of Sixty-Six Underappreciated Yet Significant Contributors to the Body of West. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis.
  2. ^ Tamvaco, J., Guest, I. (2000). Les cancans de l'Opéra: chroniques de l'Académie royale de musique et du théâtre, à Paris sous les deux Restaurations : première édition critique intégrale du manuscrit Les cancans de l'Opéra, ou, Le journal d'une habilleuse, de 1836 à 1848. France: CNRS editions.
  3. ^ a b Coralli, E. (1847). Ozai, ballet en deux actes et six tableaux musique de C. Gide. France: (n.p.).
  4. ^ Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library. (1847). Académie royale de musique, Ozaï, ballet, 1er acte, 2e tableau Retrieved from https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/ebd2bb70-d12d-0130-2d2b-58d385a7b928
  5. ^ “Ozaï”. Ballet-pantomime. Chorégraphie de Coralli. Fragment du 2d acte (manuscrit autographe). (n.d.). Retrieved from https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b105371033/f7.item