Marriage: 31 August 1873 at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in
Rochester, Monroe County, New York
In America she was known as Giuseppina which basically means "Little Giuseppa". Giuseppina is the female version of Giuseppi, the Italian form of Joseph. Her name was then Anglicized as Josephine and she seemed to have accepted that.
Giuseppina began her ballet training at the age of six at the famous La Scala Theatre Ballet in Milan, where she was a pupil of the world's greatest ballet teacher, Carlo Blasis. Before arriving in America in 1867 she was a "prima ballerina" in Milan, Florence, Paris, Lisbon, and London. She was one of the most refined and well-regarded women of her profession. While we often see her referenced as a ballerina, her talents extended to acting, melodrama, pantomime, and singing.
Her dancing instructor at La Scala urged her to pursue opera because of her natural talent, but deciding that she could not master both opera and ballet, she chose dance. She would later incorporate operatic solos in her shows, delighting audiences with arias between dance performances.
She made her American debut on October 23, 1867 in New York City and two months later on December 23, in Boston, MA, she introduced America to the can-can.
Giuseppina and Texas Jack met in December 1872 and were married August 31, 1873 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Rochester, NY. She and Jack settled in Lowell, MA where they purchased a home known as "Suffolk Hall". Giuseppina owned a country estate in Billerica, MA. Both homes burned in the early part of the 20th century.
After the death of Texas Jack in Leadville, CO, Giuseppina moved back to Lowell, MA and never performed again.
Some publications have shown her birth year to be 1846, but according to the Diocese of Milan, she was born in 1836. Her headstone also shows her birth year as 1836.
Biographical Essay contributed by Rick Omohundro
Rochester, Monroe County, New York
In America she was known as Giuseppina which basically means "Little Giuseppa". Giuseppina is the female version of Giuseppi, the Italian form of Joseph. Her name was then Anglicized as Josephine and she seemed to have accepted that.
Giuseppina began her ballet training at the age of six at the famous La Scala Theatre Ballet in Milan, where she was a pupil of the world's greatest ballet teacher, Carlo Blasis. Before arriving in America in 1867 she was a "prima ballerina" in Milan, Florence, Paris, Lisbon, and London. She was one of the most refined and well-regarded women of her profession. While we often see her referenced as a ballerina, her talents extended to acting, melodrama, pantomime, and singing.
Her dancing instructor at La Scala urged her to pursue opera because of her natural talent, but deciding that she could not master both opera and ballet, she chose dance. She would later incorporate operatic solos in her shows, delighting audiences with arias between dance performances.
She made her American debut on October 23, 1867 in New York City and two months later on December 23, in Boston, MA, she introduced America to the can-can.
Giuseppina and Texas Jack met in December 1872 and were married August 31, 1873 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Rochester, NY. She and Jack settled in Lowell, MA where they purchased a home known as "Suffolk Hall". Giuseppina owned a country estate in Billerica, MA. Both homes burned in the early part of the 20th century.
After the death of Texas Jack in Leadville, CO, Giuseppina moved back to Lowell, MA and never performed again.
Some publications have shown her birth year to be 1846, but according to the Diocese of Milan, she was born in 1836. Her headstone also shows her birth year as 1836.
Biographical Essay contributed by Rick Omohundro
Marriage: 31 August 1873 at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in
Rochester, Monroe County, New York
In America she was known as Giuseppina which basically means "Little Giuseppa". Giuseppina is the female version of Giuseppi, the Italian form of Joseph. Her name was then Anglicized as Josephine and she seemed to have accepted that.
Giuseppina began her ballet training at the age of six at the famous La Scala Theatre Ballet in Milan, where she was a pupil of the world's greatest ballet teacher, Carlo Blasis. Before arriving in America in 1867 she was a "prima ballerina" in Milan, Florence, Paris, Lisbon, and London. She was one of the most refined and well-regarded women of her profession. While we often see her referenced as a ballerina, her talents extended to acting, melodrama, pantomime, and singing.
Her dancing instructor at La Scala urged her to pursue opera because of her natural talent, but deciding that she could not master both opera and ballet, she chose dance. She would later incorporate operatic solos in her shows, delighting audiences with arias between dance performances.
She made her American debut on October 23, 1867 in New York City and two months later on December 23, in Boston, MA, she introduced America to the can-can.
Giuseppina and Texas Jack met in December 1872 and were married August 31, 1873 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Rochester, NY. She and Jack settled in Lowell, MA where they purchased a home known as "Suffolk Hall". Giuseppina owned a country estate in Billerica, MA. Both homes burned in the early part of the 20th century.
After the death of Texas Jack in Leadville, CO, Giuseppina moved back to Lowell, MA and never performed again.
Some publications have shown her birth year to be 1846, but according to the Diocese of Milan, she was born in 1836. Her headstone also shows her birth year as 1836.
Biographical Essay contributed by Rick Omohundro
Rochester, Monroe County, New York
In America she was known as Giuseppina which basically means "Little Giuseppa". Giuseppina is the female version of Giuseppi, the Italian form of Joseph. Her name was then Anglicized as Josephine and she seemed to have accepted that.
Giuseppina began her ballet training at the age of six at the famous La Scala Theatre Ballet in Milan, where she was a pupil of the world's greatest ballet teacher, Carlo Blasis. Before arriving in America in 1867 she was a "prima ballerina" in Milan, Florence, Paris, Lisbon, and London. She was one of the most refined and well-regarded women of her profession. While we often see her referenced as a ballerina, her talents extended to acting, melodrama, pantomime, and singing.
Her dancing instructor at La Scala urged her to pursue opera because of her natural talent, but deciding that she could not master both opera and ballet, she chose dance. She would later incorporate operatic solos in her shows, delighting audiences with arias between dance performances.
She made her American debut on October 23, 1867 in New York City and two months later on December 23, in Boston, MA, she introduced America to the can-can.
Giuseppina and Texas Jack met in December 1872 and were married August 31, 1873 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Rochester, NY. She and Jack settled in Lowell, MA where they purchased a home known as "Suffolk Hall". Giuseppina owned a country estate in Billerica, MA. Both homes burned in the early part of the 20th century.
After the death of Texas Jack in Leadville, CO, Giuseppina moved back to Lowell, MA and never performed again.
Some publications have shown her birth year to be 1846, but according to the Diocese of Milan, she was born in 1836. Her headstone also shows her birth year as 1836.
Biographical Essay contributed by Rick Omohundro
