Who's Who in Kings of the Dance:
Roland Petit, Choreographer
In 1933 at the age of 9, Roland Petit starts to study at the Paris Opera school of dance.
In 1940 he is engaged in the «corps de ballet», he dances ballets from the repertory staged by Carlotta Zambelli and Albert Aveline, as well as ballets by Serge Lifar. At the same time, he works at the famous Studio Wacker with Madame Rouzane.
In 1943 he is nominated «sujet» and he dances Carmelo in « l’Amour Sorcier » ballet by Serge Lifar, with Teresina and Lycette Darsonval. At the age of 20 Roland Petit decides to leave Paris Opera.
With Janine Charrat, he presents his first choreography in Paris for «Les Soirées de la Danse» at the «Théâtre Sarah Bernhardt». At this time he is also working with Boris Kniaseff (the famous initiator of the classical bar on the floor). In 1945 Roland Petit, with the financial help of his father, can found
«Les Ballets des Champs-Elysées» : Ballets like « Les Forains », « Le Rendez-vous », soon followed by «Le jeune Homme et la mort » will make painters like Christian Bérard, Picasso, Brassaï, Georges Wackhevitch writers like Boris Kochno, Jean Cocteau, Jacques Prevert and compositors like Henri Sauguet, or Joseph Kosma, work together, already showing his own theatrical conception of ballet to which he will remain faithful.
In 1948 the choreographer leaves « Les Ballets des Champs-Elysées » to create a new company “ Les Ballets de Paris-Roland Petit”, this company perform at the « Théâtre Marigny » where Roland Petit will create a lot of ballet especially « Les Demoiselles de la nuit » for Margot Fonteyn.
Then in 1949, comes the creation of « Carmen » in London : Renée Jeanmaire becomes « Zizi ».
The year after, Ninette de Valois asks Roland Petit to create «Ballabile » for the Royal Ballet of London.
In April 1951, and from then on « Les Demoiselles de la nuit» and «LeJeune Homme et la mort » make part of the repertory of the American Ballet Theater. The opening night takes place at the New York Metropolitan Opera House. Again in London, he works with Orson Welles who writes the screenplay for the ballet « The Lady in the Ice » in 1953. An international career is now opening in front of him: Invited by Hollywood for four years, Roland Petit shoots «Hans Christian Andersen» with Zizi Jeanmaire and Dany Kaye in 1952, «Daddy long legs» with Fred Astaire and Leslie Caron in 1954, «Anything goes» with Zizi Jeanmaire and Bing Crosby in 1955.
Back from the United-States, Roland Petit adapts the American Musical the French way and creates «La Revue des Ballets de Paris» first at the «Théâtre de Paris » then at «l’Alhambra» from 1956 to 1959.
In 1960 at the «Théâtre Sarah Bernhardt», he produces «Patron», a musical from Marcel Aymé (Music by Guy Béart, costumes and Scenery by Bernard Buffet) and shoots Black Tights (1-2-3-4 ou les collants noirs) with Zizi Jeanmaire, Moira Shearer and Cyd Charisse.
The same year, the Royal Ballet of Copenhague asks him to stage his «Carmen». This company will present more than 500 performances of this ballet.
In 1961 in «La Revue», Zizi Jeanmaire dressed by Yves Saint-Laurent has a great success at l’Alhambra dancing and singing her forever famous «Mon truc en plumes» (Choreography by Roland Petit, Lyrics by
Bernard Dimey, music by Jean Constantin). That same year he creates « La Chaloupée » for Erik Bruhn at theCopenhaguen Opera House.
In 1965 after a lot of world tours with «Les Ballets de Paris», Roland Petit invited by Georges Auric, Paris Opera Administrator, comes back to the Paris Opera twenty years after he had left it, to create «Adage et Variations» and «Notre Dame de Paris».
The same year he stages « Carmen » for the PACT in Johannesbourg.
In 1966 he is back again at the «Théâtre des Champs-Elysées», to create «l’Eloge de la Folie», with les “Ballets de Paris”. From 1967 to 1969, he creates choreographies for the Royal ballet of London for Rudolf Noureev and Margot Fonteyn, and also at « Teatro alla Scala di Milano»: Estasi (Scriabine) for Rudolf Noureev and Luciana Savignano.
In 1970, he accepts to take the direction of the Paris Opera ballet, but he resigns after only six months.
He buys «le Casino de Paris» to create two musicals: «La Revue» and « Zizi je t’aime » (Scenery and costumes from Erté, Yves Saint Laurent, Vasarély, Guy Pellaert, César / Lyrics by Jean-Jacques Debout, Guy Béart, Jean Férrat, Michel Legrand, Serge Gainsbourg).
January 1st 1976, in spite of the big success, the tax burden forces Roland Petit and Zizi Jeanmaire to give up «Le Casino de Paris». In between, in 1972, the mayor of Marseilles, Gaston Defferre, invites him to give a boost to the Marseilles Opera house ballet company. And thus, they will found the “Ballets de Marseille”. The first performance of this new company will take place at the «Festival d’Avignon» in august 1972 with Allumez les étoiles» (basedon Maïakovski’s work). In 1981 the “Ballets de Marseille” become “Ballet National de Marseille-Roland Petit”, and perform all around the world.
For his company, Roland Petit will create wonderful pieces like:
Pink-Floyd ballet (1972), La Rose malade (1973), L’Arlésienne (1974), Proust ou les intermittences du coeur (1974), Septentrion (1975), Coppélia (1975), La nuit transfigurée (1976), Casse noisette (1976), A
la mémoire d’un ange (1977), La Dame de Pique (1978), La Chauve-souris (1979), Parisianna (1979), Les Amours de Franz (1981), Les Contes d’Hoffmann (1982), Le Mariage du ciel et de l’enfer (1984), La
Symphonie fantastique (1985), Le Chat botté (1985), Ma Pavlova (1986), Tout Satie (1988), Valentine’s love songs (1988), Le Diable Amoureux (1989), La belle au bois dormant (1990), Charlot danse avec nous
(1991), Mère Mediterranée (1992), Le Guépard (1994), Chéri (1996), Le Lac des cygnes et ses maléfices (1998).
December 1981, «Carmen» makes part of the repertory of The American Ballet Theater, directed by Mikhail Baryshnikov, the opening nighttakes place at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts of Washington with : Natalia Makarova as Carmen, Mikhail Baryshnikov as Don Jose and
Victor Barbee as Escamillo.
Roland Petit will continue to create ballets for his company in Marseilles, but also for other companies like le Ballet de l’Opéra de Paris, The American Ballet Theater, Staats-oper and Deutsch-oper of Berlin, Teatro alla Scala di Milano.
Sharing his time for Music-hall with Zizi Jeanmaire (Casino de Paris from 1970 to 1976 -Bobino (1977) - Zizi at the « Théâtre des bouffes du Nord » (1989) - Zizi at the Zenith (1995) and theater with « Marcel et la belle excentrique » (based on Marcel Jouhandeau’s work), for Zizi Jeanmaire and Michel Duchaussoy - 1992 / «La Voix humaine» by Jean Cocteau, for Alessandra Ferri at the Téatro Studio di Milano-1994.
In 1992 after 20 years spent in Marseilles, with the help of the French government Roland Petit can finally inaugurate « L’Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Danse de Marseille » which appears to be a pedagogical
extension of his work. This school is located in the same premises as “Le Ballet National de Marseille”, a wonderful building of 6000 squares meters designed by the French architect Roland Simounet and entirely dedicated to the art of ballet.
After running “Le Ballet National de Marseille” for twenty-six years, Roland Petit leaves this company in march 1998 after the performances of his last creation in Marseilles « Le Lac des Cygnes et ses maléfices». Today Roland Petit continues to create new ballets, and also to stage his repertory around the world for famous ballet companies like :
The San-Francisco Ballet , The Asami Maki Ballet in Tokyo, Téatro Colon of Buenos Aires, Teatro alla Scala di Milano, The K. Ballet Company in Tokyo, Le Ballet National de Nancy, Balletto del Teatro San-Carlo di Napoli, Balletto dell’ Opera di Firenze, The New National Theater » of Tokyo.
He creates « Clavigo » for Nicolas Leriche at the Paris Opera in October 1999, The Show Zizi Jeanmaire in November 2000 at the Amphithéâtre of the Opera Bastille. In July 2001 for the Tokyo Asami Maki Ballet he creates « The Duke Ellington Ballet » co-production with Teatro San-Carlo di Napoli.
In October 2001 he is invited in Moscow by the Bolshoï Theater . There he makes up a new version of «The Queen of Spade » by Alexander Poushkin. For this version he chooses to work on the Pathetic
Symphony by Piotr Ilitch Tchaikovsky.
January 2002 he produces the musical “Delits d’Ivresse” based on the poetical work of his daughter Valentine Petit, accompanied by a music composed by Richard Galliano at l’Auditorium de Saint Germain des Prés in Paris.
In September 2002, he is invited by the New National Theater of Tokyo, to stage the ballet “La Chauve Souris” with new scenery by the French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte.
In February 2003 he is invited in Moscow by the Théâtre Bolshoï to stage his ballet Notre Dame de Paris.
In March 2003 at the New National Theater de Tokyo he stages hisballet «Erik Satie Ballet» for the Asami Maki Ballet.
In June 2003 at the Kremlin in Moscow, he is rewarded by Président Vladimir Poutine who honours him with the Prize of The Russian State for his ballet “The Queen of Spade”, to reward: « An excellent and
original work which contributes in the development of the Russian culture ».
In August 2003 at the Bunkamura in Tokyo he stages « Notre Dame de Paris » and «Duke Ellington Ballet» still for the Asami Maki Ballet.
In October 2003 for the third time, Paris Opera Ballet dance a series of his ballet « Clavigo » created in 1999 .
In December 2003 Roland Petit is invited by Teatro alla Scala di Milano to stage his ballet “La Chauve Souris”
In February 2004, Roland Petit receive from the Japanese Ministry of Culture «The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with neck Ribbon» for: «His contribution without precedent in the History of ballet ». At
the same period he stage his ballet « Pink Floyd Ballet » at the NHK theater in Tokyo with Asami Maki Ballet. In March 2004 at the « Théâtre Jean Vilar » of Suresnes and on tour in France, and at the Bolshoï of Moscow in October he was on stage with six dancers to relate his career in a production called «Roland Petitraconte… ou les Chemins de la création».
In April 2004 invited by the Teatro San Carlo in Naples he stage his ballet « L’Arlésienne » in August for the K-Ballet Company, «Carmen». He participate at the Expo 2005 Aichi, in Nagoya in May 2005 and
invited by the Teatro San Carlo in Naples to stage his ballet «Ma Pavlova».
In July 2005 at the Paris Opéra house and in novembre 2005 for National Ballet of China in Beijing «l’Arlesienne», « Le Jeune Homme et la mort », «Carmen». «l’Arlesienne», «Le Jeune Homme et la mort»,
«Les Bons Petits Diables» after La comtesse de Ségur at the Théâtre Jean Vilar of Suresnes in december 2005.
Projects :
« Le Jeune Homme et la mort » at La scala di Milano in March 2006
« Le Jeune Homme et la mort », « Carmen » and a new creation for Kirov
Ballet in St Petersburg in April 2006
« Notre Dame de Paris » for the Compania Nacional de Danza in Mexico
city. in novembre 2006
« Roland Petit ans his stars » in Athens in december 2006.
His publications :
°Ballet National de Marseille Roland Petit (Editions Albin-Michel)
(livre de photos) introduction Edmonde Charles-Roux
°Roland Petit L’avant-scène Ballet-Danse par Gérard Mannoni (1985)
°Roland Petit Un chorégraphe et ses Peintres par Gérard Mannoni
(Editions Hatier) (1990)
°Roland Petit Un chorégraphe et ses danseurs par Gérard Mannoni
(Editions Plume) (1992)
°« J’ai dansé sur les flots » ( Editions Grasset ) (1993)
°« Temps liés avec Noureev » ( Editions Grasset ) (1998)
°« Roland Petit Rythme de vie » entretiens avec Jean Pierre Pastori
(Edition la bibliothèque des Arts) (2003)
He is now also working for a book of memories.
He is in France decorated as :
Chevalier des arts et des lettres (26 Mars 1962)
Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur (12 Juillet 1974)
Officier des arts et lettres (10 Novembre 1978)
Officier de l’ordre national du mérite (23 Juillet 1983)
Officier de la légion d’honneur (31 Décembre 1992)
Commandeur de l’ordre national du mérite (14 Mai 2001)
