Ballet de la Nuit

Ballet de la Nuit, performed in 1653, was a grand French court ballet showcasing elaborate costumes, intricate choreography, and theatrical storytelling. It featured numerous performers and celebrated King Louis XIV, who symbolized divine authority and embodying the Sun King persona. The production combined dance, music, scenery, and mechanized effects to create a spectacular visual event, reinforcing royal power and artistic innovation. As a pioneering example of ballet as both entertainment and political homage, it influenced the development of classical ballet and highlighted the theatrical arts as a tool for royal propaganda.