Julie Alix de la Fay
Encyclopedia
Léonne-Julie Alix de la Fay, also known as Julianne Bournonville and Madame Alix (14 December 1746 or 1748 – 14 March 1826), was a Belgian
ballet dancer and dance pedagogue, who was to play an important part in the development of the Royal Swedish Ballet
. She was the sister of the famous ballet dancer Antoine Bournonville
and the aunt of Auguste Bournonville.
, (then the Austrian Netherlands), in 1746 or 1748 as the child of the French actors Louis-Amable Bournonville and Jeanne Evrard, members of the theatre truope of Charles-Simon Favart, she accompanied her parents to Lyon
in the troup of Noverre in 1759-1760 and debuted in La Ciaconne by Jean Dupré in Vienne in 1765. She performed at the Mariinsky Theatre
in Saint Petersburg
under Gasparo Angiolini
and in Cassel
in 1772-1781.
She arrived in Sweden
in 1782, where she joined the Royal Swedish Ballet at the Royal Swedish Opera
in Stockholm
. In 1783, she was made premier dancer for the Gustavian ballet. On 8 February that same year, she married Claude Alix de la Faye, the French dentist
of the queen
; in contrast with many other female dancers of the time who married men with a different profession to their own, she continued to be active in her profession after her marriage. She was commonly known as "Madame Alix".
She gave her last performance in 1798, in the opera Cora och Alonzo (Cora and Alonzo), and was then granted retirement with a pension for life, on condition that she continued to be active as a dancing instructor. She had been doing this for years anyway, training students to perform pantomime
ballet in a similar way to that of Anne Marie Milan Desguillons
, who taught students to perform children's plays, and de la Fay duly continued as an instructor after her retirement.
She died in Stockholm in 1826, aged 77 or 79.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
ballet dancer and dance pedagogue, who was to play an important part in the development of the Royal Swedish Ballet
Royal Swedish Ballet
The Royal Swedish Ballet is one of the oldest ballet companies in Europe. Based in Stockholm, Sweden, King Gustav III founded the ballet in 1773 as a part of his national cultural project in response to the French and Italian dominance in this field; he also founded the Royal Swedish Opera and the...
. She was the sister of the famous ballet dancer Antoine Bournonville
Antoine Bournonville
Antoine Bournonville was a French ballet dancer, actor, singer and a choreographer, active in the Royal Swedish Ballet and the Royal Danish Ballet and eventually ballet master in the latter. He is considered to have played a great role in the development of the ballet in Scandinavia...
and the aunt of Auguste Bournonville.
Life and career
Born as Léonne-Julie Bournonville in BrusselsBrussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, (then the Austrian Netherlands), in 1746 or 1748 as the child of the French actors Louis-Amable Bournonville and Jeanne Evrard, members of the theatre truope of Charles-Simon Favart, she accompanied her parents to Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
in the troup of Noverre in 1759-1760 and debuted in La Ciaconne by Jean Dupré in Vienne in 1765. She performed at the Mariinsky Theatre
Mariinsky Theatre
The Mariinsky Theatre is a historic theatre of opera and ballet in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Opened in 1860, it became the preeminent music theatre of late 19th century Russia, where many of the stage masterpieces of Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov received their premieres. The...
in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
under Gasparo Angiolini
Gasparo Angiolini
Gasparo Angiolini , real name Domenico Maria Angiolo Gasparini, was an Italian dancer and choreographer, and composer. He was born in Florence and died in Milan....
and in Cassel
Kassel
Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...
in 1772-1781.
She arrived in 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....
in 1782, where she joined the Royal Swedish Ballet at the Royal Swedish Opera
Royal Swedish Opera
Kungliga Operan is Sweden's national stage for opera and ballet.-Location and Environment:...
in Stockholm
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...
. In 1783, she was made premier dancer for the Gustavian ballet. On 8 February that same year, she married Claude Alix de la Faye, the French dentist
Dentist
A dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
of the queen
Sophia Magdalena of Denmark
Sofia Magdalena of Denmark and Norway was a Queen consort of Sweden as the spouse of Gustav III of Sweden....
; in contrast with many other female dancers of the time who married men with a different profession to their own, she continued to be active in her profession after her marriage. She was commonly known as "Madame Alix".
She gave her last performance in 1798, in the opera Cora och Alonzo (Cora and Alonzo), and was then granted retirement with a pension for life, on condition that she continued to be active as a dancing instructor. She had been doing this for years anyway, training students to perform pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
ballet in a similar way to that of Anne Marie Milan Desguillons
Anne Marie Milan Desguillons
Anne Marie Milan Desguillons was a French stage actress, active in Sweden. She was also active as an instructor and director of the theatre school Dramatens elevskola jointly with her spouse, and as such had a great influence over the development of the Swedish theatre.-Biography and career:Anne...
, who taught students to perform children's plays, and de la Fay duly continued as an instructor after her retirement.
She died in Stockholm in 1826, aged 77 or 79.