Jean Coralli (1779-1854)
Jean Coralli was an Italian dancer and choreographer. He was born in Bologna and studied at the Paris Opera Ballet School where he made his debut in 1802. He choreographed his first ballets in Vienna, Milan, Lisbon and Marseilles. Coralli was appointed ballet master at the Paris Theatre de Porte-Saint-Martin in 1825. In 1831 he went back to the Opera where he created some of his most famous ballets. The best known was Giselle, which included choreography by Jules Perrot. He married a solo dancer of the Vienna Karntnertor Theatre. Little is known of Coralli as a person. He died in Paris.
(First published November 1992)