Born: 1719 (Parma, Italy)
Died: 1799 (Barschau near Lüben, Silesia)
Biography:
Barbara Campanini, known as La Barbarina, was a famous Italian ballerina and one of the most important ballet dancers of the 18th century. She was born on September 27, 1719, in Parma, Italy. While many biographies state that she was born in 1721, recent research by Andrea Perego, citing the Parma baptismal register, confirms that her actual birth year was 1719.
Campanini began her dance training at Teatro Farnese under the instruction of Antonio Rinaldi Fossano. She made her debut at the Paris Opera in 1739 under Fossano’s tutelage, which quickly garnered her acclaim. Her talent as a dancer and actress became well-known, and people started referring to her as La Barbarina or The Flying Goddess due to her flawless execution of entrechats. It is even speculated that her success may have played a role in Marie Sallé’s early retirement.
After a tour in London, Campanini performed in Vienna before returning to Paris in 1743. It was during this time that she caught the attention of Frederick the Great, the young Prussian king. Impressed by her skills, Frederick offered her a position at the newly established Court Opera in Berlin. Campanini made her first appearance in Berlin on May 13, 1744. However, before her arrival, she had eloped to Venice with her lover, James Stuart-Mackenzie. Frederick used political pressure, including arresting a Venetian envoy, to have her turned over to Prussia.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who was working as a secretary at the French embassy in Berlin at that time, became involved in Campanini’s case. Despite the circumstances, she was given a privileged position in Berlin. She negotiated her own annual salary of 7,000 Reichsthaler, a significantly high sum, and was granted five months of vacation per year. These privileges were contingent upon her remaining unmarried. Although there were rumors of an affair with King Frederick, as well as other individuals, the truth remains uncertain.
In 1749, Campanini caused a scandal when she broke her contract by accepting a proposal from Carl Ludwig von Cocceji, the son of Prussian Chancellor Samuel von Cocceji, onstage. She eloped to London but eventually returned to Berlin and secretly married Cocceji. The king eventually pardoned her fiancé, and he was appointed as district governor at Glogau in Silesia. The couple resided there until their divorce in 1788. As a result of her marriage, Campanini was granted the title of Countess von Barschau by the king.
During her later years, Campanini dedicated herself to charitable endeavors. She passed away on June 7, 1799, at her country estate in Barschau near Lüben, Silesia. In her will, she left her fortune to a foundation for poor noblewomen, which remained in operation until World War I.