“Dance, Too, Originates From a Celestial Muse”

The Italian-born ballerina, Claudina Couqui (1835–1913), performed as a guest artist in numerous cities, including two appearences to Pest during the 1860s. Her first performance in 1863 was preceded by great anticipation, and after receiving an enthusiastic reception, she returned to the National Theatre the following year. This study seeks to explore the context of Pál Gyulai’s lesser-known–and, to our knowledge, only–ballet-related dramaturgical work through the lens of the guest performances of the ballerina who had come from Vienna. The investigation is justified by the fact that Gyulai’s critical writings and theatre reviews primarily focused on dramatic productions. However, Couqui’s guest performances required the clarification of some fundamental questions: What role did ballet play among theatrical genres? Where did it stand in relation to drama and opera? And what expectations did contemporary theatre critics and dramaturgists have regarding the genre? Furthermore, what could Gyulai have known about the ballet productions in Pest at the time, and to what extent? Addressing these questions requires an examination of the reception of specific ballet productions.