Ozaï; ou l'Insulaire () 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.
Background The ballet Ozaï; ou l'Insulaire was presented in two acts with music composed by Casimir Gide and choreography by Jean Coralli. The costumes were designed by Paul Lormier.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.
Premiering on 26 April 1847, the first performance took place at the Théâtre de l'Académie Royale de Musique (known as Paris Opéra).Coralli, E. (1847). Ozai, ballet en deux actes et six tableaux musique de C. Gide. France: (n.p.). It was performed with Belgian ballerina Adeline Plunkett starring in the title role of "Ozaï".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
Music Parisian composer Casimir Gide produced the musical arrangement of Ozaï; ou l'Insulaire.“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 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: RolePremière cast, 26 April 1847(Cast member: - )OzaïMlle Adeline PlunkettM. De BougainvilleM. ÉlieM. de SurvilleDesplacesAbbot (Abbé)Jean CoralliBidgi (mousse négre)Jean CoralliTwo sailors (Deux Matelots)Adice, QuériautFinancierMonetThe King of France (Le Roi de France)LenfantThe Minister of the Navy (Le Ministre de la Marine)PetitJockeyWiéthof IMlle de BouganvilleMlle C. ÉmarotMme de BouganvilleMlle DelaquitLa GuimardMlle ZélieLa SoubretteMlle PézéThe MarquisMlle MariaFrench Guard (Le Garde Française)Mlle Maria
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.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.
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