Gardel, Pierre Gabriel (EN)

Gardel, Pierre Gabriel, known as le Jeune, *4 February 1758 Nancy, †18 October 1840 Paris, Claude’s son, French dancer, choreographer and teacher. From 1780 to 1796 he was principal dancer at the Paris Opera, and from 1784 to 1829 he also served as choreographer there. From 1782 to 1815, he was director of the ballet school at the Paris Opera. He performed well-known noble title roles, for example in Télémaque dans l’île de Calypso (music by E. Miller), Céphale et Procris (music by A.-E.-M. Grétry), Philémon et Baucis (music by F.J. Gossec), and Le déserteur (music by W. Miller). He also enjoyed great success in J.G. Noverre’s ballets in London (1781–82): in Renaud et Armide, Médée et Jason, and Adèle de Ponthieu. In choreography, he was a supporter of J.G. Noverre’s reforms, ensuring a balance between all the constituent elements of a ballet performance. He paid particular attention to the harmony of movement with the music; indeed, he was himself a talented violinist.