Crespé, Marie-Madeleine (1760–1796)

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Crespé, Marie-Madeleine (1760–1796)

French ballerina. Name variations: Mlle Théodore; Marie-Madeleine Crespe. Born in 1760; died in 1796; studied with Lany; married Jean Bercher, known as Dauberval, 1782.

Debut in Myrtil et Lycoris (December 1777); created the part of Lise in the original production of Dauberval's La Fille mal gardée.

In 1776, the 16-year-old Marie-Madeleine Crespé left the corps de ballet to pursue other options. Known as "the philosopher in satin ballet slippers," she was an inveterate reader, especially of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's writings. When she returned to the Opéra and was apprised of the usual backstage machinations, she wrote to Rousseau for advice as to how to handle them. He wrote her a long reply filled with solemn warnings. Throughout most of her career, Crespé was cognizant of his alarums, except for the time she challenged Mlle Beaumesnil to a duel. The nature of the conflict between the two women remains unknown, though there is a strong possibility it concerned a duplicate love interest—namely Dauberval. The dueling party arrived at the field near the Porte Maillot just outside Paris with their seconds; an assistant conductor wisely placed the weapons on the damp grass and the pistols misfired. The duelists, at first stunned, reportedly laughed and made up.

In 1781, Crespé went to London with Jean Georges Noverre, dancing the title role in his production of Rinaldo and Armida. Wrote a thankful Noverre: "She performed with such lightness that without even leaping, by the mere elasticity of her instep, one had the impression that she never touched the ground." Because she enjoyed London and the distance from Dauberval, Crespé had her Paris Opera contract canceled with the help of Marie Antoinette . She made the mistake, however, of summering in France at a château of Dauberval's, and the directors of the Opera had a change of mind, fearful other dancers might find it easy to break their contracts. Arrested, Crespé was put in La Force prison, and the public was incensed. In a missive from prison, she pointed out to the minister that there was a clause "with no conditions or restrictions" that had been in the letter apprising her of her release from the Opera. She also mentioned that she had married Dauberval the week before she was arrested. Crespé and Dauberval left for Bordeaux where he was ballet master and choreographer and she was premiere danseuse. She died there at age 36.