Paris Opera Ballet
The Paris Opera Ballet is the world's oldest national ballet company, central to the development of classical ballet and still active as part of the Opéra National de Paris, primarily at the Palais Garnier.
Overview
The Paris Opera Ballet (French: Ballet de l'Opéra de Paris) is widely regarded as the oldest national ballet company in continuous existence. Integrated into the institution known today as the Opéra National de Paris, it has played a formative role in shaping classical ballet technique, repertoire and professional organization. The company stages works from the 17th century to contemporary creations and remains a leading reference for dancers, choreographers and historians.
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Structure and ranks
The company has a hierarchical organization that governs training, casting and career progression. Dancers typically enter through a combination of external auditions and promotion from the company’s own school. Within the corps and soloists the French terminology for ranks remains in use, and advancement is often decided by internal promotion exams and artistic direction. Typical ranks include:
- Corps de ballet — ensemble dancers who form the backbone of productions.
- Coryphée and Sujet — intermediate ranks with occasional solo parts.
- Premiers danseurs / premières danseuses — principal soloists with prominent roles.
- Étoiles — the highest rank, given to dancers recognized for exceptional talent and leadership on stage.
History and development
The Paris Opera company traces institutional roots to the late 17th century. The parent institution was founded as the Académie d'Opéra and later renamed the Académie Royale de Musique when it came under the artistic leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully in the 1670s; Lully helped establish opera-ballet as a popular genre and professionalize theatrical dance in France. Over subsequent centuries the company evolved through changing tastes — Baroque court entertainments gave way to classical and Romantic forms, then to 20th- and 21st-century neoclassical and contemporary works. Since 1994 the wider institution has carried the official name Opéra National de Paris, and the ballet company continues to present much of its repertoire at the historic Palais Garnier while also appearing in modern venues.
Repertoire and artistic influence
The Paris Opera Ballet repertoire ranges from early works that influenced classical vocabulary to full-length ballets of the Romantic era and modern pieces by 20th- and 21st-century choreographers. The company has been instrumental in codifying technique — foot positions, turnout and an emphasis on precision and musicality — and its artists and teachers have served as models for schools and companies across Europe and beyond. Productions may emphasize dramatic narrative, pure dance, or collaborations with contemporary composers and visual artists.
Training, school and legacy
A distinctive feature of the Paris Opera Ballet is its close relationship with a dedicated training institution, the École de danse de l'Opéra national de Paris. The school provides rigorous, long-term training that prepares students for the company’s technical and stylistic demands. Many dancers rise through the école into company ranks, preserving institutional traditions while contributing to ongoing stylistic renewal. The Paris Opera Ballet’s methods and career pathways have been widely imitated and studied internationally.
Notable distinctions and facts
- The company’s long history makes it a primary source for the study of Western theatrical dance and stagecraft.
- Its blend of heritage and commissioning of new works keeps classical technique in conversation with contemporary choreography.
- Influential figures and directors over time, including early leaders such as Jean-Baptiste Lully, shaped the company’s role at court and on the public stage.
Today the Paris Opera Ballet is both a living repertory company and a cultural institution: it maintains tradition, nurtures new talent, and continues to play a central role in the international ballet community.
History
The history of the Paris Opera Ballet dates back to 1661 when the French King Louis XIV founded the Royal Academy of Dance (Académie Royale de Danse). The Opera Dance School, also founded by Louis XIV in 1713, is the oldest existing ballet school. In the same year, Louis XIV made the Opera a permanent state institution with his ballet company of 20 dancers. During this period, most of the pieces performed were by Charles-Louis Beauchamp; among the best known are: Alcidiane and Le mariage forcé.
In 1763 the opera building burned down and the dancers moved temporarily to the Palais des Tuileries before finding a new home in the Palais Royal in 1770.
In 1776 Jean Georges Noverre became ballet master of the Paris Opera Ballet on the recommendation of the Austrian Empress Maria Theresa. Under his direction, Les caprices de Galathée and Les petits riens, among others, were performed to the music of Mozart (and others).
After only eleven years, the building of the opera burned down again during a ballet performance. It was thanks to the quick action of the then ballet master Jean Dauberval that it did not come to a catastrophe. In the same year, a new building was erected on a different site.
After the departure of Dauberval, Maximilien and Pierre Gardel took over the direction of the ballet. After the death of his brother, Pierre Gardel worked as a choreographer and ballet master until 1829. Among other works, Psyché was created under his direction and performed 564 times between 1790 and 1829.
In 1820 the opera had to move again. The new building was located in the Rue Le Peletier.
Twelve years later, Paris audiences were able to admire the first pointe dance when Marie Taglioni performed in La Sylphide.
The last great ballet of this period, Giselle was premiered in 1842.
At the beginning of the 20th century, ballet was completely dominated by the Ballets Russes. Some of their performances also took place at the opera. It was Serge Lifar, who had been a principal dancer with the Ballets Russes, who helped the Paris Opera Ballet achieve new greatness between 1930 and 1958.
Among the pieces Nureyev included in the repertoire were Lilac Garden by Antony Tudor, In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated by William Forsythe and Magnificat by John Neumeier. He also brought out his own versions of Raimonda, Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty.
Ballet Master
Ballet masters, called "directeurs de la danse" since 1971, were:
- des Brosses (1669) | Pierre Beauchamp (1669-1687) | Louis Pécour (1687-1729) | Michel Blondy (1729-1739) | Antoine Bandieri de Laval (1706-1748) | Jean-Barthélemy Lany (1742-1770) | Gaetano Vestris (1770-1775) | Jean Georges Noverre (1776-1781) | Maximilien Gardel/Jean Dauberval (1781-1783) Maximilien Gardel (1783-1787) | Pierre Gardel (1787-1827) | Jean-Pierre Aumer (1827-1831) | Jean Coralli (1831-1850) | Arthur Saint-Léon (1850-1853) | Joseph Mazilier (1853-1859) | Lucien Petipa (1860-1868) | Henri Justamant (1868-1869) | Louis Mérante (1869-1887) | Joseph Hansen (1887-1907) | Léo Staats (1908-1909) | Thérèse Stichel (1909-1910) | Ivan Clustine (1911-1914) | Léo Staats (1919-1926) | Nicola Guerra (1927-1929) | Serge Lifar (1930-1945 and 1947-1958) | George Skibine (1958-1961) | Michel Descombey (1962-1969) | John Taras (1969-1970) | Claude Bessy (1970-1971) | Raymond Franchetti (1971-1978) | Violette Verdy (1978-1980) | Roselia Hightower (1980-1983) | Rudolf Nureyev (1983-1989) | Patrick Dupond (1990-1994) | Brigitte Lefèvre (1994-2014) Benjamin Millepied (2014-2016)I Aurélie Dupont (2016-)
![Ballerinas of the Paris Opera Le Peletier (clockwise): Lise Noblet, Marie Taglioni, Mlle Julia [de Varennes], Alexis Dupont, Amélie Legallois and Pauline Montessu, premiers sujets, 1831.](https://www.alegsaonline.com/zoom.php?image=Paris_Opera_-_Principal_Ballerinas_-1832.jpg)
Questions and answers
Q: What is the Paris Opera Ballet?
A: The Paris Opera Ballet is the oldest national ballet company in the world.
Q: Can other ballet companies trace their origins to the Paris Opera Ballet?
A: Yes, many European and international ballet companies can trace their origins to the Paris Opera Ballet.
Q: When was the Paris Opera founded?
A: The Paris Opera was founded in 1669 as the Académie d'Opéra (Academy of Opera).
Q: Was theatrical dance important to the Paris Opera from the beginning?
A: No, theatrical dance was not an important part of the Paris Opera until 1673.
Q: Who was the leader of the Paris Opera when it was renamed to the Académie Royale de Musique?
A: The Paris Opera was renamed to the Académie Royale de Musique and placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully.
Q: What is the current name of the Paris Opera?
A: Since 1994, the Paris Opera has been called the Opéra National de Paris (Paris Opera).
Q: Where does the Paris Opera Ballet primarily perform?
A: The Paris Opera Ballet primarily performs at the Palais Garnier.
Related articles
Author
AlegsaOnline.com Paris Opera Ballet Leandro Alegsa
URL: https://en.alegsaonline.com/art/74675
Sources
- operadeparis.fr : "Histoire de l'Opéra national de Paris"