Tuberculosis in human culture the disease, which allegedly helped them to see life more clearly and to act decisively. In 1680 John Bunyan referred to it as "the captain of all these men of death". Several major operas have exploited the theme of heroines dying tragically of tuberculosis, including Mimì in Puccini's opera "La bohème". Giuseppe Verdi's "La Traviata" features the consumptive Violetta Valéry, based on Marguerite Gautier in Alexandre Dumas, "fils"'s 1848 novel "La Dame aux Camélias". In Jacques Offenbach's opera "The Tales of Hoffmann", Antonia has tuberculosis and is under the control of a Svengali-like quack doctor who forces her to sing
Agnès Letestu première danseuse in 1993. She demonstrated her talents to this major ballet company and was named étoile after a performance of "Swan Lake" in October 1997. As of 2009, Agnes Letestu was nearly at the end of her ballerina career (she was then 38) but she hopes to continue to live her passion for ballet through teaching to the youngest. In October, 2013, she appeared in 'La Dame aux Camelias' at The Paris Opera Ballet in her farewell performance for the company, portraying Marguerite Gautier to great acclaim. In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated (Forsythe), Etudes (Lander), Gamzatti in La Bayadère