▁the ▁premi ere ▁of ▁La ▁Syl ph ide ▁ ▁at ▁the ▁S alle ▁Le ▁Pe let ier , ▁with ▁ch ore ography ▁by ▁Fil ipp o ▁Tag l ioni ▁and ▁music ▁by ▁Jean - M ade le ine ▁Schne itz ho ef fer . ▁ ▁Tag l ioni ▁designed ▁the ▁work ▁as ▁a ▁show case ▁for ▁his ▁daughter ▁Marie . ▁La ▁Syl ph ide ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁bal let ▁where ▁dan cing ▁en ▁po inte ▁had ▁an ▁a est h etic ▁r ationale ▁and ▁was ▁not ▁merely ▁an ▁ac rob atic ▁st unt . ▁Other ▁rom antic ▁bal lets ▁that ▁had ▁their ▁first ▁performances ▁at ▁the ▁Opera ▁were ▁G is elle ▁( 1 8 4 1 ), ▁Pa qu ita ▁( 1 8 4 6 ) ▁ ▁and ▁Le ▁C ors aire ▁( 1 8 5 6 ). ▁Among ▁the ▁great ▁ball er inas ▁to ▁grace ▁the ▁stage ▁of ▁the ▁Op éra ▁during ▁this ▁time ▁were ▁Marie ▁Tag l ioni , ▁Car lot ta ▁Gr isi , ▁Carolina ▁Ros ati , ▁F anny ▁El ss ler , ▁Lu cile ▁Gra hn , ▁and ▁F anny ▁Cer rito . ▁ ▁Luci en ▁Pet ip a ▁dan ced ▁the ▁male ▁lead ▁in ▁G is elle ▁at ▁its ▁premi ere , ▁and ▁his ▁younger ▁brother ▁Mar ius ▁Pet ip a ▁also ▁dan ced ▁for ▁a ▁time ▁at ▁the ▁Paris ▁Opera . ▁ ▁Mar ius ▁Pet ip a ▁moved ▁from ▁Paris ▁to ▁Saint ▁Petersburg , ▁where ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁bal let - master ▁for ▁the ▁Russian ▁Imperial