Clairemarie Osta

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.

In 2008, the Opéra national de Paris honored the legendary Jerome Robbins. Though the general public may remember him primarily for his staging and choreography of Bernstein’s West Side Story, Robbins was also a brilliant ballet choreographer. In this production, we discover three of his works of classical ballet—En sol, In the Night, and The Concert—paired with Benjamin Millepied’s Triade.

A film by Frederick Wiseman following the ins and outs of 7 ballets by the Paris Opera Ballet.

Jewels, ballet in three parts choreographed by George Balanchine for the New York City Ballet, recorded in October / November 2005 at the Opéra National de Paris.

Roland Petit’s ballet Carmen was a smash hit at its premiere at London’s Prince’s Theatre in 1949. Structured in five scenes, the work reimagines the classic opera, using an innovative mixture of modern and classical ballet, mime, and Spanish-style movement to create a contemporary interpretation of Bizet’s Romantic masterpiece. In this 2005 production at the Palais Garnier, Clairemaire Osta (Carmen), Nicolas Le Riche (Don José), and Guillaume Charlot (Escamillo) star, framed by Antoni Clavé’s vibrant decor and costumes. Experience this landmark ballet in a striking 21st-century revival!

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.

Inspired by Goethe's early romantic play Clavigo, Roland Petit's ballet recounts the agonies of a weak-willed lover torn between the contradictory promptings of his heart and his evil spirit, which urges him to serve his own interests and forsake true love in favor of a life of debauchery. Recorded live at the Opera National de Paris, Palais Garnier, October 1999.