Cesare Pugni

This Italian ballet composer studied the violin in Milan with Rolla and composition with Asioli. He first contributed to the ballet Kenilworth followed by his first complete ballet, "Elerz e Zulmida," 1826. Between the years 1831 and 1834, Pugni made an attempt at composing opera. "Il disertore svizzero" met with great success but his later operas failed. 1834 brought Pugni to the position of the director of music at La Scala. He left Milan and went to Paris where he collaborated with Jules Perrot, the choreographer, in the production of over thirty ballets. Many were produced in London some of the more significant being "La Esmeralda" and "Le jugement de Paris." After Paris Pugni took a position in St. Petersburg as the ballet composer to the imperial theaters, 1851. There he produced over thirty five ballets including "Doch Faraona" and "Konyok gorbunyok." Characteristics of Pugni's compositions were the imagination and sensitive expression that mark his works. He also understood that music, in ballet, was second to the dance. ~ Keith Johnson, Rovi