Louis-Jacques-Jessé Milon (18 April 1766 – 26 November 1849)[1] was a French ballet dancer, choreographer, and ballet master.[2]
Louis Milon
Lifeedit
Born in Saint-Martin de Caux,[2] his widowed mother brought him to Paris, where they lived near the Boulevard du Temple. The Théâtre des Élèves de l'Opéra opened there not long after their arrival, and Milon's interest was piqued. He was soon filling in as a Saracen on the city walls in the five-act pantomime La Jérusalem délivrée. By the age of fourteen, he was playing pantomime and comedy and dancing at the Variétés Amusantes.[3]
Later he began studying dance at the Paris Opera Ballet School, joining the corps de ballet of the school's parent company in 1787 and making a favorable impression as the Grand Cousin in Maximilien Gardel's Le déserteur on 16 January 1788 and as the Mentor in Pierre Gardel's Télémaque on 23 February 1790.[4] He became double in 1791 and was only promoted to replacement in the noble genre in 1799, before retiring as a dancer in 1800.[3]
He created his first ballet, Pygmalion, at the Théâtre de l'Ambigu-Comique in 1799 with his sister-in-law, Émilie Bigottini, as the star. It was so successful, that he was invited to stage it at the Opéra, where it was first presented on 20 August 1800.[2][4]
After successfully creating Héro et Léandre at the Opéra on 31 December 1799,[5] he became assistant ballet master to Pierre Gardel, with whom he worked in great harmony. Their collaboration, Les Noces de Gamache, with a libretto by Milon based on comic episodes from Cervantes's novel Don Quixote, premiered on 18 January 1801 and was retained in the repertory until 1841. He continued to teach and created many other works for the company until his retirement in 1826.[2][5]
Many of his ballets were also produced in the main stages of Europe. In parallel to his choreography career, he was also the last "Grand Professeur" of pantomime at the Opéra.[citation needed]
Though not revolutionary, his works were well in line with the tastes of the time and perfectly legible for audiences. With Bigottini, Milon put on pieces full of fantasy and humour as well as melodramas, with the latter having great success right up until the rise of romantic ballet around 1830.
Selected worksedit
1799 : Pygmalion
1799 : Héro et Léandre
1801 : Les Noces de Gamache
1803 : Lucas et Laurette
1813 : L'Enlèvement des Sabines
1813 : Nina ou la Folle par amour
1815 : L'Épreuve villageoise
1816 : Le Carnaval de Venise
1820 : Clari ou la Promesse de mariage
Referencesedit
Notes
^Life dates are according to Babsky 1998, p. 422, who also says that there is some uncertainty: he may have been born in 1765 or 1769, and may have died in 1845.
Pitou, Spire (1983–1990). The Paris Opéra: An Encyclopedia of Operas, Ballets, Composers, and Performers (3 volumes). Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. ISBN9780686460367.
May 03, 2024
louis, milon, louis, jacques, jessé, milon, april, 1766, november, 1849, french, ballet, dancer, choreographer, ballet, master, life, editborn, saint, martin, caux, widowed, mother, brought, paris, where, they, lived, near, boulevard, temple, théâtre, Élèves, . Louis Jacques Jesse Milon 18 April 1766 26 November 1849 1 was a French ballet dancer choreographer and ballet master 2 Louis MilonLife editBorn in Saint Martin de Caux 2 his widowed mother brought him to Paris where they lived near the Boulevard du Temple The Theatre des Eleves de l Opera opened there not long after their arrival and Milon s interest was piqued He was soon filling in as a Saracen on the city walls in the five act pantomime La Jerusalem delivree By the age of fourteen he was playing pantomime and comedy and dancing at the Varietes Amusantes 3 Later he began studying dance at the Paris Opera Ballet School joining the corps de ballet of the school s parent company in 1787 and making a favorable impression as the Grand Cousin in Maximilien Gardel s Le deserteur on 16 January 1788 and as the Mentor in Pierre Gardel s Telemaque on 23 February 1790 4 He became double in 1791 and was only promoted to replacement in the noble genre in 1799 before retiring as a dancer in 1800 3 He created his first ballet Pygmalion at the Theatre de l Ambigu Comique in 1799 with his sister in law Emilie Bigottini as the star It was so successful that he was invited to stage it at the Opera where it was first presented on 20 August 1800 2 4 After successfully creating Hero et Leandre at the Opera on 31 December 1799 5 he became assistant ballet master to Pierre Gardel with whom he worked in great harmony Their collaboration Les Noces de Gamache with a libretto by Milon based on comic episodes from Cervantes s novel Don Quixote premiered on 18 January 1801 and was retained in the repertory until 1841 He continued to teach and created many other works for the company until his retirement in 1826 2 5 Many of his ballets were also produced in the main stages of Europe In parallel to his choreography career he was also the last Grand Professeur of pantomime at the Opera citation needed He died in Neuilly sur Seine in 1849 2 Though not revolutionary his works were well in line with the tastes of the time and perfectly legible for audiences With Bigottini Milon put on pieces full of fantasy and humour as well as melodramas with the latter having great success right up until the rise of romantic ballet around 1830 Selected works edit1799 Pygmalion 1799 Hero et Leandre 1801 Les Noces de Gamache 1803 Lucas et Laurette 1813 L Enlevement des Sabines 1813 Nina ou la Folle par amour 1815 L Epreuve villageoise 1816 Le Carnaval de Venise 1820 Clari ou la Promesse de mariageReferences editNotes Life dates are according to Babsky 1998 p 422 who also says that there is some uncertainty he may have been born in 1765 or 1769 and may have died in 1845 a b c d e Babsky 1998 pp 422 423 a b Guest 2001 pp 62 72 a b Pitou 1985 vol 2 pp 364 365 a b Pitou 1985 vol 2 p 584 Sources Babsky Monique 1998 Milon Louis in Cohen 2004 vol 4 pp 422 423 Cohen Selma Jeanne editor 1998 International Encyclopedia of Dance 6 volumes Oxford Oxford University Press ISBN 9780195094626 hardcover ISBN 9780195173697 2004 paperback edition Guest Ivor 2001 Ballet under Napoleon Alton Hampshire UK Dance Books ISBN 9781852730826 Pitou Spire 1983 1990 The Paris Opera An Encyclopedia of Operas Ballets Composers and Performers 3 volumes Westport Connecticut Greenwood Press ISBN 9780686460367 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Louis Milon amp oldid 1217837859, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
