Born: 23 June 1810, Austria
Died: 27 November 1884
Country most active: International
Also known as: Franziska Elßler, Fanny Ellsler
From Famous Women: An Outline of Feminine Achievement Through the Ages With Life Stories of Five Hundred Noted Women. Written by Joseph Adelman, published 1926 by Ellis M Lonow Company:
Fanny Elssler, an Austrian dancer, born in Vienna. From her earliest years she was trained for the ballet with her sister Therese.
She first appeared in Naples in 1827 which led to an engagement in Berlin in 1830. This was the beginning of a series of triumphs for her personal beauty and charm, and for her skill in dancing.
After captivating many hearts in Berlin and Vienna, she appeared at the Opera in Paris in 1834, a step to which she looked forward with much misgiving on account of Taglioni’s supremacy on stage. The result, however, was the temporary eclipse of Taglioni, who, although the finer artist of the two, could not compete with Fanny’s personal fascination.
In 1840 she sailed with her sister to America, where they excited unwonted enthusiasm.
After two years of unmixed success they returned to Europe, and in 1845, having amassed a fortune, Fanny Elssler retired from the stage, and was almost seventy-five when she died in Vienna in November, 1884.
The following is excerpted from “400 Outstanding Women of the World and the Costumology of Their Time” by Minna Moscherosch Schmidt, published in 1933.
Fanny Elssler and her sister Theresa, two years Fanny’s senior, were trained at an early age for the ballet. Before she was seven Fanny made her debut at the Karntnerthor Theatre. The two beautiful girls appeared together for a few years and passed on to greater success at Naples. Constantly Fanny’s artistry improved, with 1827 being marked by great strides. Three years later, because of their extreme popularity, Fanny and Theresa Elssler accepted an engagement in Berlin. This was the beginning of a series of triumphs for Fanny. In 1834 she appeared at the Opera in Paris, a step which she took with much misgiving, knowing of Tagli one’s reigning supremacy. Theophile Gautier said: “Fanny Elssler’s dance is exquisite, so different from all other dancers: she has less of technique and is more human. She is a mixture of classic physique and a great, modern soul. She dances with her whole body,from the tip of her toe to the root of her hair.
Her Cachucha is phenomenal, so is her Craco-Vienna. Her figure is elegant, quiet, tall, with fine lines, limbs like Diane; she has abundant strength, but it does not hinder her grace; the skin of her shoulders and arms is so white that it does not need to be powdered, her head rather small like that of an antique statue, her eyes full of mystery, her smile captivating, her hair chestnut brown, silky and shining, her hands and feet small, her ankles and wrists tiny. Every inch female, she also looks ravishing as a youth.”
Fanny Elssler eclipsed Taglione. In 1839 she sailed with her sister to America. Her tour was met with success everywhere. “Ralph, this is Poetry.” “Margaret, this is religion.” These classic observations passed between two of the great literary minds of the last century, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Margaret Fuller Ossoli, as they sat entranced in Boston in 1840, at the performance of Fanny Elssler. In 1845, having amassed a fortune, she returned to Europe.
She settled down to private life in the country near Hamburg.