What is Carlotta Grisi?
[[File:Carlotta Grisi.jpg|thumb|300px|Grisi as Giselle, 1842]] '''Carlotta Grisi''' (June 28, 1819 – May 20, 1899) was an Italian [[ballet]] dancer. She was famous for creating the role of ''[[Giselle]]''. == Early life == Grisi was born in Visinada, [[Istria]] (now part of [[Croatia]]). Her real name was '''Caronne Adele Josephine Marie Grisi'''. She was trained at the [[ballet]] school of [[Teatro alla Scala]] in [[Milan]]. == Europe == At her 1836 debut in London, Grisi danced with [[Jules Perrot]].<ref>Review: ''King's Theatre'', in ''The Times'', Wednesday 13 April 1836, p. 5, column C.</ref> She next appeared in Paris at the [[Théâtre de la Renaissance]] in 1840. A year later, she toured with Perrot to Paris, London, [[Vienna]], [[Munich]], and [[Milan]]. By dancing Perrot's [[choreography]], she gained both public and critical acclaim. Her greatest role was Giselle. The world [[première]] of this two-act ballet was on June 28, 1841 at the [[Salle Le Peletier|Théâtre de l'Académie Royale de Musique]], Paris. The ballet caused a sensation. It inspired reviewers to proclaim ''Giselle'' to be the greatest ballet of its time. The ballet immediately established Grisi as a star in her very first full-length ballet in Paris. Her salary grew from 5,000 [[francs]] to 12,000 in 1842 and 20,000 by 1844, with additional performance fees on top. It also marked the beginning of a change in her relationship with [[Jules Perrot]]. Grisi's last performance in the west was in [[Paul Taglioni]]'s ''Les Métamorphoses'' (aka ''Satanella'', 1849). == Russia == In 1850, she joined Perrot in [[Saint Petersburg|St. Petersburg]], Russia. He had been appointed [[balletmaster]] to the Imperial Ballet. She danced ''Giselle'' at the [[Imperial Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre]]. The first Giselle in Russia had been danced by [[Fanny Elssler]]. The initial reaction to Grisi's interpretation of the role was not enthusiastic. Over time, the Russians came to appreciate her talents. She was ''Prima Ballerina'' of the St. Petersburg Imperial T