Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo (The Monte Carlo Ballet) is a

classical ballet Classical ballet is any of the traditional, formal styles of ballet that exclusively employ classical ballet technique. It is known for its aesthetics and rigorous technique (such as pointe work, turnout of the legs, and high extensions), its ...

company established in 1985 by the Princess of Hanover in accordance with the wishes of her mother,

Princess Grace of Monaco Grace Patricia Kelly (November 12, 1929 – September 14, 1982) was an American actress who, after starring in several significant films in the early to mid-1950s, became Princess of Monaco by marrying Prince Rainier III in April 1956. Kelly ...

. It is the official national company of the Principality of Monaco.

History

The first performance took place on 21 December 1985, casting among others several guest stars of the

Paris Opera The Paris Opera (, ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be ...

. Directed by Ghislaine Thesmar and

Pierre Lacotte Pierre Lacotte (born 4 April 1932) is a French ballet dancer and choreographer who specialised in the reconstruction of lost choreographies of romantic ballets. His mother was an affirmed musician and he manifested very early his interest for da ...

, the company rehearsed in the Diaghilev studio, performing on the stage of the Salle Garnier at the

Opéra de Monte-Carlo The Opéra de Monte-Carlo is an opera house which is part of the Monte Carlo Casino located in the Principality of Monaco. With the lack of cultural diversions available in Monaco in the 1870s, Prince Charles III, along with the Société des ba ...

and immediately started touring. Their repertoire includes works from the

Ballets Russes The Ballets Russes () was an itinerant ballet company begun in Paris that performed between 1909 and 1929 throughout Europe and on tours to North and South America. The company never performed in Russia, where the Revolution disrupted society. A ...

and contemporary pieces from guest

choreographer Choreography is the art or practice of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which motion or form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A choreographer is one who cr ...

s such as Kevin Haigen, John Clifford,

Jean-Christophe Maillot Jean-Christophe Maillot (born 1960) is a French dancer and choreographer born in Tours. Early life and education He studied at the dance conservatory in Tours before enrolling at the École supérieure de danse de Cannes Rosella Hightower, ...

, Dieter Ammann, and Uwe Scholz. In 1989, Jean-Yves Esquerre became artistic director, after the departure of Ghislaine Thesmar and Pierre Lacotte one year earlier.in 2002. In 1992, Jean-Christophe Maillot joined the company, first as artistic consultant, and was officially promoted to the rank of director-choreographer in September 1993. Four years later, thanks to his vision and energy, the Ballets de Monte-Carlo left the building that had been their historical home, which had by then become too small, and moved into their own dance center, l’Atelier. Furthermore, in December 2000, they inaugurated their first ballet season on the huge stage of the Salle des Princes at the brand new congress center in Monaco, the

Grimaldi Forum The Grimaldi Forum in Monaco is a conference and congress centre located on the seafront of Monaco's eastern beach quartier, Larvotto. Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo and the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra regularly perform there. This is also the ...

. These were two turning points in the modern history of the company and the beginning of a new dance era in Monaco.

References

External links

Official websiteLes Ballets de Monte-Carlo in Tel Aviv: Ballet for the 21st Century
Monte Carlo, Les Ballets de Monte Carlo Arts in Monaco Performing groups established in 1985 1985 establishments in Monaco {{Monaco-stub