Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-08-17
Fanny Rlssler.

Fanny Klssler.
We continue to-day memoir OF this unequailed
danseuse. In last we mentioned that she object
ed to being Placedamong the Coryphean' when only
twelve years of age, but asked for regular ballet
which the Director promisd to give her, almost as
soan she asked for H.
1t so happened that ght two after, one oil the
Fairies fell i'll. Here the chance earnestly
looked for, to show her dancing and powers of pam
tomime-the Director kept his word with trem-
bling She took the part almost without notice
though the quick girl knew it well already; every
step in it she had danced for her own quiet amuse
ment and instead of an expected failure she astound-
ed every body with the ightness Of her dance, and
the grace and expression of her pantomime. A week
two after to the horror Of the Director, another
of the principal performers fell ill., What was
to be done,--the Fairy well--young Elssler was
free again but the part to be disposed of was
male part-the ballet, all popular as it was, must
be suspended-that would be loss-imagine the
surprise of the Director, when E!ssler stepped
destly forward saying that she would undertake the
part. "But, how!' says The astonished Director
1T is male part "Yes, but get the clothes
male for me Immediately" g What do you mean
are you mad 1.-THE dance Of this part is difficult
YOU can't learn il in six weeks {" There is need
of that" simpered Esser-'' know it already
She took the part the next night, and played it with
immense success to the astonishment Of all Vienna
And, most remarkable to relate, there was a
strange fatality attending this ballet, a Fee); for
nearly all the dancers in who held first parts fell i'll
one after another and successfully, one after ano-
ther Esser quite to the bewilderment of the town,
took each of these difficult parts without any notice,
and acquitted herself with such grace and skill,
to enrich the Golfers of the opera and firmly estao-
ish her own green fame 1t turned out that she had
studied all these parts for her own satisfaction and
without any pection from the ballet masterswth-
out indeed, their knowledge, or it would have been
forbidden. A year afterwards she went, at the re-
quest of the royal family of Naples, that beautiful
city, where her dancing, always improving, brought
her increased reputation, attended with handsome
earning.
On her return TO Vienna, after years absence,
she took..rank premiere danseuse of the Imperial
Opera. The succeeding year she made visit to
Berlin by desire of the amiable old king, who had
seen her at Vienna. She was now considered in all
respects the frstidancer of Germany. Remarkably
beautiful in person, enchantDgly graceful and an
actress of expression and force, she was well
coined in Berlin with great enthusiasm by all ranks
and classes Her stay here, that was prolonged far
ueyond her intention, was garnished with successes
the most brilliant, honors the most attering, tri-
umphs the most Intoxicating. The royal family were
so pleased with her. that strenuous efforts made
by the direction, by royal command, to engage her
permanently at any sum. large round amount was
at once offered together with the settlement Of a
pension for life Of $1,000 if she remained for eight
wears. To the establishment of the court and the
director and all Berlin, this splendid offer
fused. 1t was thought a bit of caprcious folly on
the part of the beautiful danseuse but such the
curiosity to know the cause, that she greatly
tormcnted by all her friends to know her for
singular disregard Of her Interests. At last the
secret was CLEANED from her-she had resolved to be
not the first dancer merely Of Germany, but Of the
world-and to achieve this, she must undergo the
ordeal Of the acknowledged tribunal, whose fiat is
obscurity or lasting renown She must 60 to Paris,
and contend with her proud rivals there, and wrest
their sceptre from them, sink in the attempt.
This was regarded pure folly, the caprice Of a
giddy girl, who was carried off by some powerful
notions into utter and inexcusable forgetfulness
of her true intcress-but the result has proved diff
ferently