Music: Romeo on Three Levels

France was poor and the times were bad, but Catherine de Medici and her son King Henry III were throwing a royal wingding, and they were not a pair to pinch a franc. Catherine's valet de chambre, Balthasar de Beaujoyeulx, cooked up for the occasion a lavish combination of painting, music and dancing that is now rated as the first true ballet ever performed. The show began about 10:00 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 15, 1581 in the Grand Salle of the Hôtel du Petit Bourbon in Paris, and lasted until 3:30 in the...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!