How did Christophe Willibald Gluck reform ballet music in Don Juan?

In his 1761 ballet Don Juan, Christoph Willibald Gluck reformed ballet music by moving away from the tradition of simple, disjointed episodes toward the creation of a cohesive, mimed dance drama.1

Working in collaboration with choreographer Gasparo Angiolini, Gluck helped transform the genre by integrating music, plot, and movement. Influenced by the ideals of Jean-Georges Noverre, this approach prioritized expressive themes over the customary emphasis on technical display. In Don Juan, much of the narrative action was expressed directly through the dance itself, ensuring that the music served the dramatic requirements of the story rather than functioning as mere accompaniment to unconnected sequences. This work marked a significant step in Gluck’s career, establishing his commitment to dramatic unity and naturalness of expression that would later define his operatic reforms.21