Lafontaine, Mlle de
(1655–1738)> BALLERINA
Lafontaine, Mlle de (1655 ?; 1738 ?), ballerina, made her theatrical debut at the Opéra in Lully’s Le Triomphe de l’Amour in 1681, and this fact won for her the distinction of being the first professional danseuse of modern times. Her appearance in Lully’s eleventh composition for the Royal Academy of Music was by no means the only aspect of her activity on the stage because she went on to lead the corps de ballet in other works by Lully and his contemporaries: Ballet Premiere Persée 17 April…