José Martinez

An adaptation of Charles Perrault's fairy tale by Rudolf Nureyev, putting Cinderella beneath the spotlight. When Rudolf Nureyev asked set designer Petrika Ionesco to work on his forthcoming ballet, he did not expect him to give such an innovative arrangement of Perrault's or Petipa's Cinderella. Still, after a hostile reaction, the choreographer was seduced by the idea. Because in essence, the "topic" was preserved, although modernized. A young woman is victimized by a morbid family, and her only wish is to escape the oppressive world in which she lives. One day, her kindness is rewarded: while she runs to help a person who needs help, she changes her destiny forever. This character, who embodies the fairy in Perrault's tale, is a Hollywood producer... And this is how Nureyev turns the film star into a modern prince charming.

Prince Siegfried is celebrating his coming of age. The Queen Mother informs him that, the following day, during the grand ball held to mark his birthday, he must choose a future wife. Displeased at not being able to choose her out of love, he goes into the forest during the night. It is then that he spots a flock of swans. He raises his crossbow, prepares to shoot, but stops immediately: before him stands a beautiful woman dressed in white swan feathers, followed by twelve other women dressed in the same way, four of whom are nicknamed ‘little swans’. ‘Swan Lake’ is a ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, comprising four acts and four scenes, or three acts and four scenes. The staging is based on a libretto by Vladimir Begichev and Vasili Geltser. The story is an ancient German legend recounting the tale of the beautiful Princess Odette, transformed into a swan by the curse of the evil sorcerer Rothbart. Recorded live at the Palais Garnier, Paris, on 17 December 2005.

ETOILES: DANCERS OF THE PARIS OPERA BALLET celebrates the legacy one of the best ballet companies in the world by weaving together rehearsals, tour snapshots and performances of classical ballets such as Swan Lake and La Sylphide, as well as contemporary works such as Maurice Bejart's Ninth Symphony, Jiri Kylian's Doux Mensonge (Sweet Lies) and Pierre Darde's Orison. Celebrated filmmaker Nils Tavernier endeavors to understand the psychology of dance by talking candidly with some of the biggest stars in dance today. The film also features interviews with the dancers who explain how and why they endure the emotional and physical hardships of their profession in their intense drive to be on stage.

The choreographer brings the Paris of yesteryear back to life: the city of the Boulevard du Crime from the first half of the 19th century, with its artists, theaters, and cabarets. In a staging reminiscent of a movie set, the mime Baptiste bathes in his memories, tell about his encounter with Garance, his impossible love for a marvelous yet unattainable woman, the magical universe of the stage, life behind the scenes, and the tenuous line performers maintain between reality and illusion. Marc-Oliver Dupin's original score provides the musical backdrop for a choreography alternating between larger ensemble numbers and intimate love duets.

Paris Opera Ballet Master and choreographer Patrice Bart plunges into the Opera's past and brings Degas' famous statuette to life. From the rehearsal rooms to the Cabaret du Chat Noir, the ballet conjures up a colourful era and the lively backstage world of a theatre.

Premiered in Paris in 1870, and inspired by the fantastical writings of E.T.A Hoffmann, Coppélia tells the story of a young man who falls in love with an exquisite automaton. He is finally brought to his senses by his fiancée. In his production from the magnificent Palais Garnier, choreographer Patrice Bart reveals his interpretation of the ballet.

Experience Rudolf Nureyev's sumptuous landmark 1995 production of Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet at the Opéra Bastille, starring Monique Loudières as Juliet, Manuel Legris as Romeo, Charles Jude as Tybalt, and Lionel Delanoë as Mercutio.