Manuel Legris is a

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

ballet dancer A ballet dancer ( it, ballerina fem.; ''ballerino'' masc.) is a person who practices the art of classical ballet. Both females and males can practice ballet; however, dancers have a strict hierarchy and strict gender roles. They rely on ye ...

, born in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. ...

on October 10, 1964. He was an '' étoile'' (star dancer) of the

Paris Opera Ballet The Paris Opera Ballet () is a French ballet company that is an integral part of the Paris Opera. It is the oldest national ballet company, and many European and international ballet companies can trace their origins to it. It is still regarded ...

for 23 years. On September 1, 2010, he began direction of the

Vienna State Ballet Vienna State Ballet, ''Wiener Staatsballett'', is considered one of the world's top ballet companies. It was formerly named the Vienna State Opera Ballet as it is based at the Vienna State Opera building. In 2005 the ballets of the Vienna State ...

. He was appointed artistic director of La Scala Theatre Ballet in December 2020. Les adieux de Manuel Legris à l'Opéra Garnier

Biography

Career as a dancer

Manuel Legris started

ballet Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form ...

lessons at the age of 8 under a local ballet teacher, Yvonne Guba. In 1976 at age 11, he started with the Paris Opera Ballet School and joined the Corps de Ballet at 16 years old in 1980. In 1981 he became "

Coryphee A ballet dancer ( it, ballerina fem.; ''ballerino'' masc.) is a person who practices the art of classical ballet. Both females and males can practice ballet; however, dancers have a strict hierarchy and strict gender roles. They rely on yea ...

", and was then promoted to "

Sujet A ballet dancer ( it, ballerina fem.; ''ballerino'' masc.) is a person who practices the art of classical ballet. Both females and males can practice ballet; however, dancers have a strict hierarchy and strict gender roles. They rely on ...

" in 1982. He finally was appointed the title " Etoile" on 11 July 1986, at age 21, by the Stage Director

Rudolf Nureyev Rudolf Khametovich Nureyev ( ; Tatar/ Bashkir: Рудольф Хәмит улы Нуриев; rus, Рудо́льф Хаме́тович Нуре́ев, p=rʊˈdolʲf xɐˈmʲetəvʲɪtɕ nʊˈrʲejɪf; 17 March 19386 January 1993) was a Soviet ...

, bypassing the rank of "Premier Danseur." On that day, the company performed ''

Raymonda ''Raymonda'' (russian: Раймонда) is a ballet in three acts, four scenes with an apotheosis, choreographed by Marius Petipa to music by Alexander Glazunov, his Opus 57. It was first presented by the Imperial Ballet at the Imperial Mar ...

'', choreographed by Nureyev, at the

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera (commonly known as the Met) is an American opera company based in New York City, resident at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, currently situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The company is operat ...

in New York, and Legris danced the leading role of Jean de Brienne. Legris established his reputation in both classical and contemporary choreography, attracting the notice of choreographers such as William Forsythe, John Neumeier, Jiri Kylian, and

Jerome Robbins Jerome Robbins (born Jerome Wilson Rabinowitz; October 11, 1918 – July 29, 1998) was an American dancer, choreographer, film director, theatre director and producer who worked in classical ballet, on stage, film, and television. Among his nu ...

, who continued to engage him. He also earned invitations to dance companies such as

the Royal Ballet The Royal Ballet is a British internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, England. The largest of the five major ballet companies in Great Britain, the Royal Ballet was founded ...

in London, the

New York City Ballet New York City Ballet (NYCB) is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company. Léon Barzin was the company' ...

, the Cuban National Ballet, an
the Tokyo Ballet
as well as the Ballets of Monte-Carlo, Stuttgart, and

Hamburg Hamburg (, ; nds, label=Hamburg German, Low Saxon, Hamborg ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg (german: Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg; nds, label=Low Saxon, Friee un Hansestadt Hamborg),. is the List of cities in Germany by popul ...

, where John Neumeier created ''Spring and Fall'' and ''A Cinderella Story'' especially for him. Legris has performed all around the world, including in La Scala in Milan, the Met in New York, the

Vienna State Opera Ballet Vienna State Ballet, ''Wiener Staatsballett'', is considered one of the world's top ballet companies. It was formerly named the Vienna State Opera Ballet as it is based at the Vienna State Opera building. In 2005 the ballets of the Vienna State ...

, the Bolshoi in Moscow, and, most recently, the

Mariinsky Theatre The Mariinsky Theatre ( rus, Мариинский театр, Mariinskiy teatr, also transcribed as Maryinsky or Mariyinsky) is a historic theatre of opera and ballet in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Opened in 1860, it became the preeminent music th ...

in St. Petersburg. While touring, he has partnered with Evelyn Hart, Dominique Khalfouni,

Alessandra Ferri Alessandra Ferri OMRI (born 6 May 1963) is an Italian prima ballerina. She danced with the Royal Ballet (1980–1984), American Ballet Theatre (1985–2007) and La Scala Theatre Ballet (1992–2007) and as an international guest artist, befo ...

, Lorna Feijoo, and Diana Vishneva. In 1996, Legris founded his own dance troupe, "Manuel Legris et ses Étoiles", as a collaboration Monique Loudières. The pair hoped to allow young dancers to reach the solo roles still inaccessible for them at the Opera by giving them a chance to work with leading choreographers. In 2003, Manuel Legris added two major works to his repertoire: Variations on ''

Carmen ''Carmen'' () is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. The opera was first performed by the Opér ...

'' by

Roland Petit Roland Petit (13 January 192410 July 2011) was a French ballet company director, choreographer and dancer. He trained at the Paris Opera Ballet school, and became well known for his creative ballets. Life and work The son of shoe designer Rose ...

and ''Phrases of Quartet'' by

Maurice Béjart Maurice Béjart (; 1 January 1927 – 22 November 2007) was a French-born dancer, choreographer and opera director who ran the Béjart Ballet Lausanne in Switzerland. He developed a popular expressionistic form of modern ballet, talking vast ...

. That same year, Béjart staged again ''The Song of a Wayfarer'' for Legris and Laurent Hilaire, giving them the exclusive performance. In February 2004, Legris danced opposite Aurélie Dupont in Jiri Kylian's

Pas de Deux In ballet, a pas de deux ( French, literally "step of two") is a dance duet in which two dancers, typically a male and a female, perform ballet steps together. The pas de deux is characteristic of classical ballet and can be found in many well ...

, "''Il faut qu'une porte...",'' at the Paris Opera. He then joined Trisha Brown's "''O zlozony / O composite"'', with Dupont and Nicolas Le Riche. In December 2005, the Stuttgart Ballet offered him the title role in '' Onegin'' where he danced opposite

Maria Eichwald Maria Eichwald (born at Talgar, Kazakhstan) is a Kazakhstani ballet dancer who has settled in Germany. Biography Eichwald trained at the national ballet academy in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan before becoming a soloist dancer at the national theatre. ...

. On November 19, 2007, he danced with

Dorothée Gilbert Dorothée Gilbert (born 25 September 1983) is a principal dancer with the Paris Opera Ballet. Training * 1990-1995 Toulouse National Conservatoire * 1995-2000 Paris Opéra Ballet School *2000 Joins the Corps de Ballet of the Paris Opéra * 2002 ...

, a favorite pupil of his, in ''"

The Nutcracker ''The Nutcracker'' ( rus, Щелкунчик, Shchelkunchik, links=no ) is an 1892 two-act ballet (""; russian: балет-феерия, link=no, ), originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaiko ...

''" at the Opera de Paris, after which she was named Etoile. He made his official farewell from the stage of the Opera Garnier on May 15, 2009. Many of his former partners, including Clairemarie Osta,

Mathias Heymann The Paris Opera Ballet () is a French ballet company that is an integral part of the Paris Opera. It is the oldest national ballet company, and many European and international ballet companies can trace their origins to it. It is still regarded ...

and Myriam Ould-Braham, came to see him off, as did former ballet masters such as Claude Bessy and Pierre Lacotte, and the Culture and Communication Minister Christine Albanel. He received a nearly 30 minute standing ovation after receiving the insignia of "Commandeur de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres". Since his farewell, Legris took charge of the

. From 2010 to 2020, he directed numerous ballets for the company, including Rudolf Nureyev's ''

Don Quixote is a Spanish epic novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally published in two parts, in 1605 and 1615, its full title is ''The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha'' or, in Spanish, (changing in Part 2 to ). A founding work of Wester ...

, Onegin'', and a ''Triple Bill'' devoted to Jerome Robbins. Legris stepped down from the Ballet after his contract ended in 2020, and assumed his current position of artistic director of La Scala Theatre Ballet.

Awards and distinctions

* 1984 : Gold Medal of the International Dance Competition in Osaka with Elisabeth Maurin * 1985 : Prix Carpeaux Circle * 1988 : Nijinsky Award * 1993 : Knight of Arts and of Letters * 1998 :

Prix Benois de la Danse The Benois de la Danse is a ballet competition held annually in Moscow. Founded by the International Dance Association in 1991, it takes place each year on or around April 29 and it's judged by a jury. The members of this jury change every year and ...

* 1998 : Officer of Arts and of Letters * 2000 : Nijinsky Award for the second time * 2002 : Knight of the Order of Merit * 2006 : Knight of the Order of the Legion of Honour * 2009 : Commandeur de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres

Filmography

* ''

Romeo and Juliet ''Romeo and Juliet'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with ''Ham ...

'' (

) * '' Le Spectre de la Rose'' (

Michel Fokine Michael Fokine, ''Mikhail Mikhaylovich Fokin'', group=lower-alpha ( – 22 August 1942) was a groundbreaking Imperial Russian Choreography (dance), choreographer and dancer. Career Early years Fokine was born in Saint Petersburg to a pro ...

) * ''

Notre-Dame de Paris Notre-Dame de Paris (; meaning "Our Lady of Paris"), referred to simply as Notre-Dame, is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité (an island in the Seine River), in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. The cathedral, dedicated to th ...

'' (

) * ''L'Arlésienne'' (Roland Petit) * '' The Sleeping Beauty'' (Rudolf Nureyev) * ''

'' (Rudolf Nureyev) * '' Sylvia'' ( John Neumeier) * " Proust, ou les intermittences du coeur" (Roland Petit)

Bibliography

* Kishin Shinoyama, ''Manuel Legris à l'Opéra de Paris''

Repertory

* ''

Giselle ''Giselle'' (; ), originally titled ''Giselle, ou les Wilis'' (, ''Giselle, or The Wilis''), is a romantic ballet (" ballet-pantomime") in two acts with music by Adolphe Adam. Considered a masterwork in the classical ballet performance cano ...

Paquita ''Paquita'' is a ballet in two acts and three scenes originally choreographed by Joseph Mazilier to music by Édouard Deldevez and Ludwig Minkus. Paul Foucher received royalties as librettist. History ''Paquita'' is the creation of French com ...

'' (classic version) * ''Rhapsody,

Meditation Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm ...

'' (pas de deux) (Sir Frederick Ashton) * ''

Agon Agon (Greek ) is a Greek term for a conflict, struggle or contest. This could be a contest in athletics, in chariot or horse racing, or in music or literature at a public festival in ancient Greece. Agon is the word-forming element in 'agony', ...

Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky , group=n ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally. He wrote some of the most pop ...

Pas de deux In ballet, a pas de deux ( French, literally "step of two") is a dance duet in which two dancers, typically a male and a female, perform ballet steps together. The pas de deux is characteristic of classical ballet and can be found in many well ...

, Le

Palais de Cristal ''Symphony in C'', originally titled ''Le Palais de Cristal'', is a ballet choreographed by George Balanchine, to Georges Bizet's Symphony in C. The ballet was originally created for the Paris Opera Ballet, and premiered on July 28, 1947 at T ...

, Themes and Variations, The Four Temperaments, Divertimento No. 15, The Prodigal Son, Violin Concerto, Who cares?, Stars and Stripes, Sonatine, Jewels'' (

George Balanchine George Balanchine (; Various sources: * * * * born Georgiy Melitonovich Balanchivadze; ka, გიორგი მელიტონის ძე ბალანჩივაძე; January 22, 1904 (O. S. January 9) – April 30, 1983) was ...

) * ''

Coppélia ''Coppélia'' (sometimes subtitled: ''La Fille aux Yeux d'Émail'' (The Girl with the Enamel Eyes)) is a comic ballet from 1870 originally choreographed by Arthur Saint-Léon to the music of Léo Delibes, with libretto by Charles-Louis-� ...

'' (Patrice Bart) * ''

Arepo The Sator Square (or the Rotas-Sator Square, or the Templar Magic Square) is a two-dimensional acrostic class of word square containing a five-word Latin palindrome. The earliest Sator squares were found at several Roman-era sites, all in ROTA ...

, The Contest, The Song of a Wayfarer, Phrases Quartet'' (

) * ''

Swan Lake ''Swan Lake'' ( rus, Лебеди́ное о́зеро, r=Lebedínoye ózero, p=lʲɪbʲɪˈdʲinəjə ˈozʲɪrə, link=no ), Op. 20, is a ballet composed by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1875–76. Despite its initial failur ...

'' (Vladimir Bourmeister) * ''Napoli'' (

August Bournonville August Bournonville (21 August 1805 – 30 November 1879) was a Danish ballet master and choreographer. He was the son of Antoine Bournonville, a dancer and choreographer trained under the French choreographer, Jean Georges Noverre, and the ...

) * ''O złożony / O composite'' ( Trisha Brown) * ''Les Indomptés'' (

Claude Brumachon Claude Brumachon (born 2 May 1959 in Rouen) is a French choreographer and dancer in contemporary dance. In 1984 he founded his own company, the ''Compagnie Claude Brumachon''. Since 1992, he has been co-directing the Centre Chorégraphique Nationa ...

) * '' Onegin'' (

John Cranko John Cyril Cranko (15 August 1927 – 26 June 1973) was a South African ballet dancer and choreographer with the Royal Ballet and the Stuttgart Ballet. Life and career Early life Cranko was born in Rustenburg in the former province of Tr ...

) * ''Blues du poisson rouge'' (Pierre Darde) * ''

'' ( Mats Ek) * ''In The Middle, Somewhat Elevated, Wound-Work'' ( William Forsythe) * ''Le Spectre de la Rose'' (

) * ''Bacchanale'' (

Andy Degroat Andy de Groat (November 1947 – January 10, 2019) was an American choreographer best known for his collaborations with interdisciplinary impresario Robert Wilson. Early life and education Born in November 1947 in Paterson, New Jersey, de Groat ...

) * ''Tantz-Schul, Sinfonietta, Clouds, Sweet Lies, Bella Figura, Il faut qu'une porte...'' ( Jiri Kylian) * ''Giselle, La Sylphide, Paquita'' (Pierre Lacotte) * ''Études'' (

Harald Lander Harald Alfred Bernhardt Stevnsborg Lander (25 February 1905 – 14 September 1971) was a Danish dancer, choreographer and artistic director of the Royal Danish Ballet. Lander was born in Copenhagen. He started as a dancer, studying under ballet ...

) * ''

The Wayward Daughter ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in ...

'' (Joseph Lazzini) * ''Suite en blanc, Les Mirages, Romeo and Juliet pas de deux'' (

Lifar Serge Lifar ( ua, Сергій Михайлович Лифар, ''Serhіy Mуkhailovуch Lуfar'') ( 15 December 1986) was a Ukrainian ballet dancer and choreographer, famous as one of the greatest male ballet dancers of the 20th century. No ...

) * ''The Story of Manon, Romeo and Juliet'' ( Sir Kenneth MacMillan) * ''

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict ...

, Vaslaw, Magnificat,

, Sylvia,

Spring and Fall Spring(s) may refer to: Common uses * Spring (season), a season of the year * Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy * Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water * Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a he ...

, A Cinderella Story'' ( John Neumeier). * ''

, The Sleeping Beauty,

Cinderella "Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...

La Bayadere LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...

'' (

) * ''

, L'Arlesienne,

, Les Intermittences du coeur, Cheek to Cheek, Variations from

'' (

) * ''Le Park'' (

Angelin Preljocaj Angelin Preljocaj (; born 19 January 1957) is a French dancer and choreographer of contemporary dance. Early life Angelin Preljocaj was born in 1957 in Sucy-en-Brie, France. He is of Albanian descent. Career His choreographic work is steeped ...

) * ''

Dances at a Gathering ''Dances at a Gathering'' is a ballet choreographed by Jerome Robbins to music by Frédéric Chopin, with costumes designed by Joe Eula. The ballet premiered on May 22, 1969, at the New York State Theater, performed by the New York City Ball ...

, In The Night, The Four Seasons, A Suite of Dances, Other Dances'' (

). * ''Rules of The Game'' ( Twyla Tharp) *
Continuo
' ( Antony Tudor) * '' Four Last Songs'' ( Rudi van Dantzig) * ''Angel, Alles Walz'' (Renato Zanella) * ''Proust ou les intermittences du coeur'' (

)

References

External links

Biography in the Vienna State Ballet official website (in German)
*
Manuel Legris Official Website

Article from LE FIGARO.fr
{{DEFAULTSORT:Legris, Manuel French male ballet dancers Paris Opera Ballet étoiles Recipients of the Legion of Honour Chevaliers of the Légion d'honneur Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres 1964 births Living people Prix Benois de la Danse winners