Firmly entrenching the Paris Opera Ballet in today's multifaceted world, Aurélie Dupont, Director of Dance, has invited during season 20/21 four contemporary choreographers to the Palais Garnier. Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Damien Jalet, the two Belgian choreographers who created Boléro in 2013, return to the House, each presenting a new work, the former to music by Woodkid, the latter to a score by Koki Nakano. Twenty-three-year-old American choreographer Tess Voelker who has been working at the Nederlands Dans Theater since 2017, is proposing a first piece for our Company to the rhythms of a song by Nick Drake. Finally, French choreographer and stage director Mehdi Kerkouche, accompanied by musician Guillaume Alric, transports the audience into his hip-hop world. A coproduction Opéra national de Paris - Act4 Productions - Le Grizzly - 2020 Direction: Louise Narboni

Brise-lames de Damien Jalet (saison 20/21)

Chorégraphes contemporains - 1

Contemporary choreographers: creating today

Exposure de Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui en répétition (saison 20/21)

Chorégraphes contemporains - 3

Contemporary choreographers: Creating today

Firmly entrenching the Paris Opera Ballet in today's multifaceted world, Aurélie Dupont, Director of Dance, has invited during season 20/21 four contemporary choreographers to the Palais Garnier.Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Damien Jalet, the two Belgian 

Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Tess Voelker, Damien Jalet, Mehdi Kerkouche

Created in 1997 for the Paris Opera Ballet, this work was born out of the painter Olivier Debré’s desire to paint a series of abstract tableaux: evocations of that primordial sign, the smile. Taking these flamboyant painted scenes as her starting point, representing different places in the world like so many different emotional states and humours, the choreographer Carolyn Carlson sets her dancers in motion to an original score by René Aubry and gives life to a dreamlike piece.A ballet that has since become a cult work in the Paris Opera repertoire, Signes embodies the links between painting, music and dance and extends them to the stage.The Étoiles, the Premières Danseuses, the Premiers Danseurs and the Paris Opera Corps de BalletWith the support of the Orange Foundation, sponsor of the Paris Opera's audiovisual broadcasts.© Opéra national de Paris - 2023 Picture: © Agathe Poupeney / OnP

230616-054BF_SIGNES_Carolyn Carlson_Awa Joannais Sofia Rosolini Victoire Anquetil (c) Benoîte Fanton OnP

BA_Signes

Signes

Created in 1997 for the Paris Opera Ballet, this work was born out of the painter Olivier Debré’s desire to paint a series of abstract tableaux: evocations of that primordial sign, the smile. Taking these flamboyant painted scenes as her starting poi

Carolyn Carlson

Guided by a strange voice under the flickering light of a flush-fitting ceiling lamp, two men observe one another and then confront each other. This duo soon becomes a crowd, a swell, which comes alive to the rhythm of Chopin’s preludes. Crystal Pite’s second creation for the Paris Opera Ballet, Body and Soul serves up waves of words and gestures which form the material for a secret narrative. Through the movement of the dancers, the words of a woman never cease to manifest themselves, like a duet between body and soul. Exploring the theme of mourning and bereavement, the Canadian choreographer presents the conflicting urges and impulses that challenge the unity of each of us. In a mysterious twilight awash with sound effects, this dramatically powerful three-act ballet progresses, not without humour, towards an exuberant and stimulating finale.  Les Étoiles, les Premiers Danseurs et le Corps de Ballet de l’OpéraWith the participation of France Télévisions, the support of the ORANGE Foundation, patron of the Paris Opera's audiovisual broadcasts, and the Centre National du Cinéma et de l'image animée. A co-production of the Opéra national de Paris and La Belle TéléDirector: Tommy PascalOpéra national de Paris - La Belle Télé - 2020 Visuals © Julien Benhamou / OnP

Body and Soul

Guided by a strange voice under the flickering light of a flush-fitting ceiling lamp, two men observe one another and then confront each other. This duo soon becomes a crowd, a swell, which comes alive to the rhythm of Chopin’s preludes. Crystal Pite

Crystal Pite

In this piece specifically created for the Paris Opera Ballet in 1994, the choreographer Angelin Preljocaj finds a subtle balance between the classical genius of Mozart’s music and the modernity of his choreographic language.The perfectly chiselled sets evoke the elegance and refinement of a French‑style garden while the costumes draw inspiration from the Age of Enlightenment.Advancing to the caprices of an imaginary Carte du Tendre and guided by strange gardeners, the dancers awaken to love, from first encounters to seduction, from timidity to attraction, from resistance to the sweet appeal of abandon in sublimely soaring “pas de deux”.Even today, this timeless work continues to explore the codes of love and the way human feelings develop. With the Paris Opera Étoiles, Soloists and Corps de Ballet The Paris Opera OrchestraA co-production of the Paris Opera and Telmondis, with the participation of France Télévisions, Mezzo and medici.tv, and the support of the Orange Foundation, patron of the Paris Opera's audiovisual broadcasts, and the Centre National du Cinéma et de l'image animée.© Opéra national de Paris – Telmondis - 2021 Director: Louise Narboni

Le Parc (saisin 20/21) - 12

Le Parc (saisin 20/21) - 11

Le Parc (saisin 20/21) - 5

Le Parc

In this piece specifically created for the Paris Opera Ballet in 1994, the choreographer Angelin Preljocaj finds a subtle balance between the classical genius of Mozart’s music and the modernity of his choreographic language.  The perfectly chiselled

Angelin Preljocaj

Four contemporary choreographers come together for a programme that leads the Opera’s dancers to a new form of modernity where bodies vibrate with intensity.To open the evening, James Thierrée takes over the public areas of the Palais Garnier and introduces us to his dream-like world. Canada’s Crystal Pite returns with The Seasons’ Canon, a dazzling creation that thrilled audiences at the Palais Garnier last season. Spain’s Iván Pérez occupies the stage of the Opera for the first time with a creation for ten male dancers. To conclude the evening, Israel’s Hofesh Shechter, often lauded for his telluric, trance-evoking dances, offers a new version of his piece The Art of Not Looking Back.

 Les Étoiles, les Premiers Danseurs et le Corps de Ballet

A co-production of the Paris Opera, BEL AIR MEDIA and ARTE France With the support of the Orange Foundation, patron of the Paris Opera's audiovisual broadcasts, and the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animéeDirectors: Cédric Klapisch, Miguel Octave © Opéra national de Paris – Bel Air Media / France 2018Picture: © Agathe Poupeney / OnP

Soirée Thierrée / Shechter / Pérez / Pite

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Performance of The Seasons' Canon by Noureyev at the Palais Garnier, from 23 September to 12 October 2023

Four contemporary choreographers come together for a programme that leads the Opera’s dancers to a new form of modernity where bodies vibrate with intensity. To open the evening, James Thierrée takes over the public areas of the Palais Garnier and in

Thierrée / Shechter / Pérez / Pite

Thierrée / Shechter / Pérez / Pite Evening

The mysterious, unwavering chant of the English horn, punctuated by notes from the bassoon and the clarinet, follows its chromatic descent over twenty bars as if plunging into an unknown world. A world where Iolanta has lived in seclusion since her birth. She is unwittingly blind, since no one has the right to reveal the fact to her. This simple tale of collective denial at the court of Provence as narrated by the Danish writer Henrik Hertz in his play King René’s Daughter, was discovered by Tchaikovsky in 1883. However, moved beyond words by the presence of the young actress Elena Konstantinova Leshkovskaya in the title role, it would be another five years before the composer decided to transform it into an opera. Should we believe him when he claims that “the dukes, knights and noble damsels of the Middle Ages had captivated his imagination, but not his heart”? Would the fate of the heroine, like a rite of passage from darkness to light, from lies to truth, not rekindle his own wounds which ended up carrying him to his grave less than a year after the double premiere of Iolanta and The Nutcracker at Saint Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theatre on December 18th 1892?Directed for the stage by Dmitri Tcherniakov, this exceptional programme combines all the talents of the Paris Opera and offers an opera and a ballet in a single evening: Tchaikovsky originally intended Iolanta and The Nutcracker to be staged together. However, since their debut performance at Saint Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theatre in 1892, they have been presented separately. The composer found inspiration for his opera in Danish playwright Henrik Hertz’s work recounting the romantic story of Iolanta, the blind daughter of King René. Protected by her father in his Provençal château, the princess ultimately regains her sight before marrying the gallant knight Vaudémont. The Nutcracker is based on a tale by Hoffmann adapted by Alexandre Dumas. Like a two-sided mirror reflecting the dreams of a composer who took refuge in the realms of the imaginary, the Paris Opera is reviving the original diptych. Alain Altinoglu conducts and Dmitri Tcherniakov stages this production that symbolises the link between opera and ballet.Orchestre et Choeurs de l’Opéra national de Paris Le Corps de Ballet de l’Opéra national de Paris Maîtrise des Hauts-de-Seine Chœur d’enfants de l’Opéra national de Paris Avec la participation d’élèves d’écoles de danse parisiennes.Une coproduction Opéra national de Paris et Bel Air Media With the participation of France Télévisions and the support of the Orange Foundation, sponsor of the audiovisual retransmissions of the Paris National Opera, and the National Center for Cinema and Moving Images. Director : Andy Sommer© Opéra national de Paris – Bel Air Media – France 2016Picture: ©Agathe Poupeney / OnP

Iolanta / Casse-Noisette - 5

Iolanta / The Nutcracker

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Bastille salle

Performance of The Nutcracker by Noureyev at the Opera Bastille, from 08 December 2023 to 01 January 2024

The mysterious, unwavering chant of the English horn, punctuated by notes from the bassoon and the clarinet, follows its chromatic descent over twenty bars as if plunging into an unknown world. A world where Iolanta has lived in seclusion since her b

Piotr Ilyitch Tchaikovsky / Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Edouard Lock, Arthur Pita

Iolanta/The Nutcracker

With a modern and figurative stage set, intertwining Sibelius' Violin Concerto with a musical creation by Celeste Oram, Pit takes the audience into a sensual, tribal and dramatic universe.Both trained at the Batsheva Dance Company under Ohad Naharin, Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber present Pit, their first creation for the Paris Opera Ballet.Born in Iowa, Bobbi Jene Smith joined Batsheva in 2005. In 2014, she embarked on a career as a choreographer, creating works for the Martha Graham Dance Company, the L.A. Dance Project and the Royal Danish Ballet. Born in Israel, Or Schraiber joined Naharin’s Company in 2010. He has directed, choreographed and acted in several short films.Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber share a strong attraction to the world of cinema, and they starred and danced in Aviva in 2020. The Paris Opera Corps de Ballet and the Paris Opera OrchestraDirector: Tommy Pascal © Opéra national de Paris

PIT2223_YKellerman_0316_GEN.1759_PIT_Bobbi Jene Smith Or Schraiber (c) Yonathan Kellerman OnP

With a modern and figurative stage set, intertwining Sibelius' Violin Concerto with a musical creation by Celeste Oram, Pit takes the audience into a sensual, tribal and dramatic universe. Both trained at the Batsheva Dance Company under Ohad Naharin

Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber

When Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker worked on Violin Phase in New York in 1980, one piece of music alone besides Steve Reich’s was played in the studio: Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos. Thirty‑five years later, the choreographer continues her work with these pieces.“For me, Bach’s music contains movement and dance like none other and succeeds in associating extreme abstraction with a concrete, physical and even transcendental dimension, perhaps for that very reason.”A regular guest at the Palais Garnier, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker has been invited back this season with her company, Rosas, to present a codified choreographic language that goes to the very heart of Bach’s music. Production: Rosas A coproduction Opéra national de Paris, Telmondis, Mezzo With the support of Le Centre national du Cinéma et de l'Image AniméeDirector: Louise Narboni © Opéra national de Paris - Telmondis - Mezzo - 2019

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Les six Concertos Brandebourgeois



When Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker worked on Violin Phase in New York in 1980, one piece of music alone besides Steve Reich’s was played in the studio: Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos. Thirty‑five years later, the choreographer continues her work with 

Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker

The Six Brandenburg Concertos

This triptych spans ten years of creation (from 1986 to 1995) and bears witness to Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s remarkable dialogues with the great scores of classical music. The term “dialogue” is undoubtedly too tame to describe this almost physical confrontation between two arts.De Keersmaeker addresses music using all the nuances of passion: need, defiance, oneupmanship… The key notion is polyphony. The irresistible energy that sets free these fluid, nervous bodies – at times openly insolent, at others exhausted as if conquered by the musics – is essentially that of “dizzying counterpoint”.Additional voices continually emerge; new connections or unexpected combinations multiplying the curves of a spiral of movements in which the audience joyfully loses all sense of direction.De Keersmaeker's work on Bartók’s Quartet N°4 displays her initial style: a combination of short motifs, danced with dry humour by a quartet of adolescent girls.The virtuoso choreography to Beethoven’s Die Grosse Fuge, which this time is highly masculine and based on a falling motif, allows us to appreciate the development of the choreographer’s compositional technique.The third section, Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night), dedicated to the young Schönberg, finally reveals her most intimate side: the evening ends in heartrending abandon, with the almost narrative evocation of a couple transfigured by the gift of love –, portrayed in dance suffused with a passion for music.Sharing the same musical intensity, these three ballets form a poetic and mysterious ensemble.<div> A co-production of Idéale Audience, Opéra national de Paris and ARTE France With the participation of Mezzo and the ERR, with the support of the Orange Foundation, patron of the Paris Opera's audiovisual broadcasts, and the Centre national de la cinématographie et de l'image animée.Director: Louise Narboni © Opéra national de Paris – ARTE France - Idéale Audience - 2015Picture: © Agathe Poupeney / OnP</div>

This triptych spans ten years of creation (from 1986 to 1995) and bears witness to Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s remarkable dialogues with the great scores of classical music. The term “dialogue” is undoubtedly too tame to describe this almost physica

Quatuor n°4, Die grosse Fuge, Verklärte Nacht

Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker, a major figure of the choreographic stage, creates with Rain a piece of a rare intensity and pure refinement.The choreographer leads the dancers through the rhythmic pulsations of one of Steve Reich's main scores, Music for Eighteen Musicians, performed by the Ensemble Ictus.On stage, both music and dance drive the dancers into a perpetual momentum, a dizzying and jubilant race that seems to make life spring forth. The Étoiles, the Premières Danseuses, the Premiers Danseurs and the Paris Opera Corps de Ballet A co-production of the Paris Opera, Idéale Audience and ARTE France, with the participation of Mezzo and VRT With the support of the Orange Foundation, patron of the Paris Opera's audiovisual broadcasts, and with the assistance of the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée.Director: Louise Narboni © 2014 – Opéra national de Paris - Idéale Audience – ARTE FrancePicture: © Agathe Poupeney / OnP

rain

Rain

Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker, a major figure of the choreographic stage, creates with Rain a piece of a rare intensity and pure refinement. The choreographer leads the dancers through the rhythmic pulsations of one of Steve Reich's main scores, Music f

"I like creating worlds that have never been seen before." - Alexander Ekman A sparkling personality on the contemporary dance scene, Swedish choreographer Alexander Ekman has been invited for the first time to work with the dancers of the Paris Opera Ballet.Trained at the Swedish Royal Ballet, he danced with the Nederlands Dans Theater and the Ballet Cullberg before turning to choreography. His language, both visceral and tinged with humour, combines theatricality and classical and contemporary vocabulary alike.Best known for the spectacular quality of his pieces with their dreamlike imagery, he fills the stage of the Palais Garnier with metallic structures, dancers suspended in space, elevations… A surprising production carried along by enticing rhythms and communicative energy. The Étoiles, the Premiers Danseurs and the Paris Opera Corps de Ballet Voice of Alan Watts from recordings on the Tao of Philosophy courtesy of alanwatts.orgA production of the Paris Opera, Bel Airt Média and SVT With the participation of France Télévisions and the support of the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animéeDirector: Tommy Pascal © Opéra national de Paris - Bel Air Media - SVT - 2018Picture: © Ann Ray / OnP

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"I like creating worlds that have never been seen before."- Alexander EkmanA sparkling personality on the contemporary dance scene, Swedish choreographer Alexander Ekman has been invited for the first time to work with the dancers of the Paris Opera 

Alexander Ekman

Created in 2004 by Trisha Brown, an emblematic figure of New-York avant-garde, O złozony / O composite was a milestone in the “Postmodern Dance” era at the Paris Opera, a major step for both the performers and the choreographer who intensely questioned theatrical conventions.“The body is the place where any dream can come true”: in this piece, Trisha Brown explores an experimental work where poetry is put in motion and dance is weaved and intertwined along the verses of poets Czeslaw Milosz and Edna St. Vincent Millay.Working in cycles, she unveils here an attempt to combine classical and postmodern dance languages, echoed by Laurie Anderson’s music that embellishes the Polish sonorities of the text, and danced under a sky full of stars designed by Vija Celmins. A co-production of Opéra de Paris production and Souffleurs de vert With the support of the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée, the participation of France Télévisions, the support of the American Friends of the Paris Opera & Ballet and the support of the Orange Foundation, patron of the Paris Opera's audiovisual broadcastsDirector: François Goetghebeur © 2013 - Opéra national de Paris production – Souffleurs de vertPicture: © Anne Deniau / OnP

O złozony / O composite 

Created in 2004 by Trisha Brown, an emblematic figure of New-York avant-garde, O złozony / O composite was a milestone in the “Postmodern Dance” era at the Paris Opera, a major step for both the performers and the choreographer who intensely question

Trisha Brown

Inspired by the character of Siddharta, Angelin Preljocaj offered in 2010 a new creation to the Paris Opera Ballet. The choreographer revisits the legend of this prince who became the 'enlightened one', or the Buddha, making a personal and free version, exploring the character's path to asceticism and sacrifice in his quest for truth.Beyond a simple tale, Preljocaj unveils the torments and the mysteries of this long inner path towards light, full of obstacles and doubts.For his fourth creation for the Paris Opera Ballet, Angelin Preljocaj has gathered an incredible team of artists: Bruno Mantovani, author of a long symphonic poem, Eric Reinhardt for the libretto, visual artist Claude Lévêque, and finally Dominique Bruguière and Olivier Bériot for the lighting and costumes. The Étoiles, the Premières Danseuses, the Premiers Danseurs and the Paris Opera Corps de Ballet The Paris Opera OrchestraCoproduction Opéra national de Paris, LGM, MEZZO With the participation of France Télévisions and the support of the Centre National de la CinématographieDirector: Denis Caiozzi © Opéra national de Paris – LGM - Mezzo – 2010Picture: © Ann Ray / OnP

Siddharta

Inspired by the character of Siddharta, Angelin Preljocaj offered in 2010 a new creation to the Paris Opera Ballet.The choreographer revisits the legend of this prince who became the 'enlightened one', or the Buddha, making a personal and free versio

Since the beginning of the 20th century, dance has been exploring new horizons. Through this selection of performances, discover how today’s choreographers continue to invent and share their worlds and emotions.

Thumbnail Thématiques  - 3

Since the beginning of the 20th century, dance has been exploring new horizons. Through this selection of performances, discover how today’s choreogra