Zucchi, Virginia (1849–1930)

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Zucchi, Virginia (1849–1930)

Italian ballet dancer. Born Feb 10, 1849 in Parma, Italy; died 1930 in Nice, France; studied in Milan.

After performance in Padua (1873), was engaged at La Scala (1874), where she danced in the revival of Manzotti's Excelsior; visited St Petersburg with touring production of Le Voyage dans la Lune (1885); an enthusiastic reception, led to engagement by Imperial Theater, where she performed in Petipa's Le Roi l'a Dit (1886) and La Fille du Pharon; numerous appearances in Russia helped to establish Italian influence over Russian ballet; returned to France (1889) and later opened school in Monte Carlo, where she taught until her death; was renowned for superior technique and passionate interpretation of work of Petipa.

See also I. Guest, The Divine Virginia (1977).

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