Or Christian Petrovich Yoganson, as he became known in Russia, is
one of the most important masters in the entire ballet history - yet less
known than many others of a lesser talent.
The greatness of Johansson lay not in his own dancing,
though he was a very accomplished dancer, but in his devotion to teaching.
He formed a whole generation of Maryinski
dancers - many of whom carried his ideas further until this day.
1817 1/6
P.C. Johansson born.
1829 1/7 Matriculated - Royal
Theatre.
1834 1/7 Premier danseur.
1835 26/11 Danced in "The marriage of Figaro".
1837 10/1
Letter to August Bournonville, deals with "Cora and Alonso".
20/2
Performance "Mythological divertissement", role: Shepherd.
16/4
Letter to August Bournonville.
6/6
Letter to Antoine Bournonville - flattery.
6/6 Johansson gets
a grant to study in Copenhagen.
6/6
Letter to August Bournonville. Tells of grant and forthcoming journey.
Complains
about Selinder, considers himself underpaid and over worked, hopes that
the
Crown Prince will come to his aid.
16/6
Employment Contract.
1838 15/1
Letter to August Bournonville. Journey from Copenhagen to Stockholm by
horse
and carriage. Snow and storm.
22/1
Mounted the ballet "The Homecoming", 22 perf.
2/2
Letter to A. Bournonville. Hernani.
9/4
Ditto. Tells of mother's death. Moved from Queens Street to Regency Street.
Jenny Lind played Agatha in "Der Freischutz", her first role.
8/6
Ditto. Tells of Russian Grand Duke - The Crown Prince Oscar - Midsummer
festivities - visit to Gothenburg.
28/7
Ditto. Complains bitterly about the Board of Directors in Stockholm, asks
Bournonville for help. Serious rioting in Stockholm, Crusenstolpe
riots,
famous historic event.
18/9
Ditto, tells of French visiting company. Parties.
2/11 Lives at Regent Street, No. 1 (old number), no. 47
(new number), the block "The
Horseshoe". Calls himself "premier danseur" and probably lodges with
the publican
N. Fredrik Lundberg b. 30/5 1803 and his wife Augusta Bernhardina Amalia,
b. 15/6, 1814 and many children.
1839 8/1
Letter. Tells of Selinder composing ballet called "Alfhild".
27/3
Ditto. Tells of teaching the Royal children.
7/5
Ditto. Is going to inform HRH about the arrival of Bournonville family.
Journey
by canal.
17/5
Ditto. Has informed HRH. "Robert of Normandie"
4/10
Ditto. Nothing of ballet interest, but many personal notes.
1/11 Lives now at the block Jacob the greater, No. 5 Regency
Street No. 10, same
parish. Lodges with the widow Charlotte Levent, widow of the fine metal
worker
Johan Levent. She owns the property, but lives herself in Clara parish.
1840 21/1
Letter. Condoles the death of the Danish King. Row between Bournonville
and
Board of Directors. Getting tired of Sweden and the Opera.
Selinder in economic difficulties. Dacapo of Selinder.
1/7 Resigned from the Royal OperaHouse
in Stockholm.
1874 25/8
Letter to Bourn. from S:t Petersburg.
Epilogue.
TRANSLATION OF BIRTH CERTIFICATE
" Baptized, Margreta Johansson /24/ Son Pehr Christian, born 1st June. Godmothers the Midwife Maria Lemon, and the Widow Anna Boman. The mother lives at St.Paul Street, the block Aquarius Nr 1. In the home of and by the Reverend Sv: Fr: Pihlberg"
Sweden has a long tradition of registering births, deaths
and marriages. It is normally very accurate, but situations can arise when
there is room for doubt. The case in question here, is just such a debatable
situation. As we can see, there is no mention of a father or husband, therefore
we can deduce that Pehr Christian was born out of wedlock. In various dictionaries,
his birth has been given either as 20th May or 1st June. It may well have
been that he was baptized 1st June - or that the vicar registering the
birth made a mistake - or that the mother mistook the day. However, as
the official register says 1st June, that is the date we must consider
as the date of his birth in Stockholm, Sweden.
Back
This is the theater where Johansson worked. The building was later
demolished
and a new opera house, still in use, was erected.
H.M. The Queen graced the spectacle yesterday with her presence. Yesterday
and last Wednesday Figaro was performed, better than it has been for a
long time and was much applauded.
Mme. Gelhaar played Cherubin, and sang her part as sweetly
as she usually does. However, we fear that the intricacies of Mozart are
well beyond her, as they require a fullness of voice and a firmness of
characterization which at times eludes her. If this is a fault of nature
or a result of her one tracked development, we cannot ascertain. M. Sällström
has also had a couple of happy performances, because he has not forced
himself. In the little ballet which belongs to this play, the young dancer
Johansson appeared in a pas de trois together with Mlle Daguin and Mlle
Fägerstedt.
Monsieur J. has recently arrived from Copenhagen where the remarkably
skillful ballet master Bournonville with enormous diligence has been teaching
him the fine art. He appeared a couple of times at The Royal Theater and
the newspapers of Copenhagen have written with much praise. His debut here
seemed to confirm that he had well earned such praise. Monsieur J. is still
a youth, not yet fully developed in form or muscular power, but with much
freedom, suppleness, rather fine precision, and a promising good taste
and pleasantness, which in all makes him a worthy and necessary acquisition
to our ballet. Nor had he any reason to complain about the lack of applause.