Gaetan Vestris

Gaétan Vestris was born in Florence around 1729 and trained in dance and music across Italy, Vienna and Dresden before joining the Académie Royale de Musique in Paris in 1748. In 1751, he succeeded Louis Dupré as Premier Danseur, establishing himself as the Paris Opera's leading male dancer. After a dispute with ballet master Jean-Barthélemy Lany led to his dismissal and exile, Vestris returned to the Opera in 1755 and studied under Jean-Georges Noverre in Stuttgart, refining his craft. Appointed ballet master and choreographer in 1761, Vestris effectively held the position from 1770 to 1775, during which time he created *Médée et Jason* (1770), *Endymion* (1773) and *Le Nid d'oiseau* (1776). He stepped down in favor of Noverre and retired from the stage in 1782. Throughout his career, Vestris combined the elegance of the Noble style with expressive stage presence and mime, qualities that made his performances with his son Auguste influential in the development of ballet in Britain. He died in 1808.