Maximilien Gardel

Maximilien Gardel.

Maximilien Gardel (18 December 1741, Mannheim - 11 March 1787, Paris) was a French ballet dancer and choreographer of German descent (he was the son of Claude Gardel, ballet master to king Stanisław Leszczyński, and elder brother of Pierre Gardel, who succeeded Maximilien as ballet master of the Paris Opera on his death).

He débuted at the Académie royale de Musique in Paris in 1759 and five years later became a soloist there. Sharing dance rôles with Gaëtan Vestris, Gardel took over from him in 1772 : in the reprise of Castor et Pollux by Rameau, he danced with neither mask nor wig (then judged unimaginable) so as not to be deceived by his rival. In 1773 he and Jean Dauberval became Vestris' assistants as ballet master then, in 1781, Gardel took over the role on his own (succeeding Noverre).

Selected works

• 1777 : La Chercheuse d'esprit
• 1777 : Ninette à la cour
• 1778 : Phaon
• 1779 : Mirza et Lindor
• 1781 : La Fête de Mirza
• 1783 : La Rosière
• 1784 : L'Oracle
• 1785 : Le Premier Navigateur
• 1786 : Les Sauvages
• 1786 : Le Pied de bœuf
• 1786 : Le Déserteur
• 1787 : Le Coq du village

External links

• His ballets and their productions on CESAR

Preceded by Jean-Georges Noverre

Director of the Ballet l'Opéra de Paris 1781-1787

Succeeded by Pierre Gardel

Persondata
Name	Gardel
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	18 December 1741
Place of birth
Date of death	11 March 1787
Place of death