Christian Johansson
Encyclopedia
Christian Johansson was a teacher, choreographer and coaching balletmaster for the Russian Imperial Ballet. Born Pehr Christian Johansson in Stockholm
, Sweden
, he moved to Russia
as a dancer and stayed on as one of the most important teachers in Russian history. He is remembered in Russia as exemplifying the artistic beauty of the male dancer. He began teaching in 1860 and by 1869, had become the leading ballet instructor at the Imperial Ballet School. He stayed there until his death in 1903. Johansson studied under Bournonville and partnered the great ballerina
Marie Taglioni
.
for two years, Johansson earned the right to be called his pupil and was trained in the French classical style, la belle danse. Beautiful, flexible and graceful in the best tradition of the French
school, Johansson attracted the attention of critics. In addition, the great Romantic ballerina, Marie Taglioni, made it a condition of her engagement in Stockholm that Johansson be her partner.
Johansson went on to partner other great ballerinas as well, especially during his time in St. Petersburg. Some of these were Fanny Elssler
, Carlotta Grisi
, Adèle Grantzow, Elena Andreyanova, Tatyana Smirnova, Marfa Muravieva, Nadezhda Bogdanova and Fanny Cerrito
.
His move to Russia at the beginning of the 1840s helped Johansson's career as a dancer. At that time in Europe
, the male danseur enjoyed less importance than that of the ballerina
. Only in St. Petersburg could a male dancer achieve great success and there perform his own solos, rather than appearing only as a ballerina's partner. This perhaps explains the appearance of the great artistic talents, Marius Petipa
, Jules Perrot
, Arthur Saint-Leon
and Johansson himself, at the Russian Imperial Ballet.
His stage career spanned four decade
s and included hundreds of ballet
s. When it ended in 1883, he continued teaching classes at the Imperial Ballet School on Theatre Street in St. Petersburg, something he had done for ten years already. By the end of the 19th century, there was not one ballerina appearing on the stage of the Maryinsky Theatre who had not been taught by Johansson, either at the Imperial Ballet
School or at the Theatre's Classe de Perfection.
Tall and thin, with seemingly perfect posture, the aging Johansson would appear in ballet class with a small violin
and thick stick. He used this in order to keep the musical beat underneath his mumbled counts of the music. Sometimes the stick was set aside and, instead of his melancholic voice, his violin would sing and enliven the class with simple melodies from the ballets of his youth. This was a novel approach for the relatively severe atmosphere of the school. A calm, well-mannered man, he set an example of graciousness and was admired by the students.
Johansson's pupils were not the only ones who were influenced by him. The Imperial Ballet Master
, Marius Petipa
, would often observe his classes, watching and remembering. After those visits, Johansson would say laughingly, "Once again the old man is stealing something from me..." In truth, Petipa usually sent male dancers to Johansson to have their variations choreographed. Dancers would occasionally recognize their teacher's classroom combinations in Petipa's ballets. It has been substantiated that Johansson himself created and choreographed most of the male variations in the Petipa / Tchaikovsky ballet The Sleeping Beauty
(1890).
Christian Johansson's daughter, the ballerina Anna Christianovna Johansson (1860-1917), was a celebrated soloist of the St. Petersburg Imperial Ballet and created roles in nearly every important premiere throughout the late 1880s, until burn injuries forced her to retire in 1895. Among the roles she created were: the fairy Canari que chant and the Diamond Fairy in the Pas de Quatre of the Precious Stones from Petipa's The Sleeping Beauty
(1890), Aurora, goddess of the dawn in Petipa's The Awakening of Flora (1894), and the lead Ballerina of the Waltz of the Flowers in the premiere of The Nutcracker
(1892).
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, he moved to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
as a dancer and stayed on as one of the most important teachers in Russian history. He is remembered in Russia as exemplifying the artistic beauty of the male dancer. He began teaching in 1860 and by 1869, had become the leading ballet instructor at the Imperial Ballet School. He stayed there until his death in 1903. Johansson studied under Bournonville and partnered the great ballerina
Ballerina
A ballerina is a title used to describe a principal female professional ballet dancer in a large company; the male equivalent to this title is danseur or ballerino...
Marie Taglioni
Marie Taglioni
Marie Taglioni was a famous Italian/Swedish ballerina of the Romantic ballet era, a central figure in the history of European dance.-Biography:...
.
Career
Johansson made his debut on the stage of the Royal Opera House in Stockholm. Naturally endowed to be a fine dancer, he was noticed by the great Danish choreographer Auguste Bournonville. After studying with Bournonville in CopenhagenCopenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
for two years, Johansson earned the right to be called his pupil and was trained in the French classical style, la belle danse. Beautiful, flexible and graceful in the best tradition of the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
school, Johansson attracted the attention of critics. In addition, the great Romantic ballerina, Marie Taglioni, made it a condition of her engagement in Stockholm that Johansson be her partner.
Johansson went on to partner other great ballerinas as well, especially during his time in St. Petersburg. Some of these were Fanny Elssler
Fanny Elssler
Fanny Elssler - 27 November 1884), born Franziska Elßler, was an Austrian ballerina of the 'Romantic Period'.- Life :Daughter of Johann Florian Elssler, a second generation employee of Prince Esterhazy in Eisenstadt. Both Johann and his brother Josef were employed as copyists to the Prince's...
, Carlotta Grisi
Carlotta Grisi
Carlotta Grisi, real name Caronne Adele Josephine Marie Grisi was an Italian ballet dancer born in Visinada, Istria . She was trained at the ballet school of Teatro alla Scala in Milan and later with dancer/balletmaster Jules Perrot...
, Adèle Grantzow, Elena Andreyanova, Tatyana Smirnova, Marfa Muravieva, Nadezhda Bogdanova and Fanny Cerrito
Fanny Cerrito
Fanny Cerrito, originally Francesca Cerrito , was an Italian ballet dancer and choreographer.Born in Naples, she studied under Carlo Blasis and the French choreographers Jules Perrot and Arthur Saint-Léon, to the latter of whom she was married from 1845–1851. Notable roles included Ondine and a...
.
His move to Russia at the beginning of the 1840s helped Johansson's career as a dancer. At that time in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, the male danseur enjoyed less importance than that of the ballerina
Ballerina
A ballerina is a title used to describe a principal female professional ballet dancer in a large company; the male equivalent to this title is danseur or ballerino...
. Only in St. Petersburg could a male dancer achieve great success and there perform his own solos, rather than appearing only as a ballerina's partner. This perhaps explains the appearance of the great artistic talents, Marius Petipa
Marius Petipa
Victor Marius Alphonse Petipa was a French ballet dancer, teacher and choreographer. Petipa is considered to be the most influential ballet master and choreographer of ballet that has ever lived....
, Jules Perrot
Jules Perrot
Jules-Joseph Perrot was a dancer and choreographer who later became Balletmaster of the Imperial Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia...
, Arthur Saint-Leon
Arthur Saint-Leon
Arthur Saint-Léon was the Maître de Ballet of St. Petersburg Imperial Ballet from 1859 until 1869 and is famous for creating the choreography of the ballet Coppélia.-Biography:...
and Johansson himself, at the Russian Imperial Ballet.
His stage career spanned four decade
Decade
A decade is a period of 10 years. The word is derived from the Ancient Greek dekas which means ten. This etymology is sometime confused with the Latin decas and dies , which is not correct....
s and included hundreds of ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
s. When it ended in 1883, he continued teaching classes at the Imperial Ballet School on Theatre Street in St. Petersburg, something he had done for ten years already. By the end of the 19th century, there was not one ballerina appearing on the stage of the Maryinsky Theatre who had not been taught by Johansson, either at the Imperial Ballet
Mariinsky Ballet
The Mariinsky Ballet is a classical ballet company based at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Founded in the 18th century and originally known as the Imperial Russian Ballet, the Mariinsky Ballet is one of the world's leading ballet companies...
School or at the Theatre's Classe de Perfection.
Tall and thin, with seemingly perfect posture, the aging Johansson would appear in ballet class with a small violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
and thick stick. He used this in order to keep the musical beat underneath his mumbled counts of the music. Sometimes the stick was set aside and, instead of his melancholic voice, his violin would sing and enliven the class with simple melodies from the ballets of his youth. This was a novel approach for the relatively severe atmosphere of the school. A calm, well-mannered man, he set an example of graciousness and was admired by the students.
Johansson's pupils were not the only ones who were influenced by him. The Imperial Ballet Master
Ballet Master
Ballet Master is the term used for an employee of a ballet company who is responsible for the level of competence of the dancers in their company...
, Marius Petipa
Marius Petipa
Victor Marius Alphonse Petipa was a French ballet dancer, teacher and choreographer. Petipa is considered to be the most influential ballet master and choreographer of ballet that has ever lived....
, would often observe his classes, watching and remembering. After those visits, Johansson would say laughingly, "Once again the old man is stealing something from me..." In truth, Petipa usually sent male dancers to Johansson to have their variations choreographed. Dancers would occasionally recognize their teacher's classroom combinations in Petipa's ballets. It has been substantiated that Johansson himself created and choreographed most of the male variations in the Petipa / Tchaikovsky ballet The Sleeping Beauty
The Sleeping Beauty Ballet
The Sleeping Beauty is a ballet in a prologue and three acts, first performed in 1890. The music was by Pyotr Tchaikovsky . The score was completed in 1889, and is the second of his three ballets. The original scenario was conceived by Ivan Vsevolozhsky, and is based on Charles Perrault's La...
(1890).
Christian Johansson's daughter, the ballerina Anna Christianovna Johansson (1860-1917), was a celebrated soloist of the St. Petersburg Imperial Ballet and created roles in nearly every important premiere throughout the late 1880s, until burn injuries forced her to retire in 1895. Among the roles she created were: the fairy Canari que chant and the Diamond Fairy in the Pas de Quatre of the Precious Stones from Petipa's The Sleeping Beauty
The Sleeping Beauty Ballet
The Sleeping Beauty is a ballet in a prologue and three acts, first performed in 1890. The music was by Pyotr Tchaikovsky . The score was completed in 1889, and is the second of his three ballets. The original scenario was conceived by Ivan Vsevolozhsky, and is based on Charles Perrault's La...
(1890), Aurora, goddess of the dawn in Petipa's The Awakening of Flora (1894), and the lead Ballerina of the Waltz of the Flowers in the premiere of The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto is adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann's story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". It was given its première at the Mariinsky Theatre in St...
(1892).