Nicolas Le Riche
Encyclopedia
Nicolas Le Riche is a French ballet dancer. He entered the Paris Opera Ballet
school at age ten and joined the corps de ballet
six years later; his first ròle was in Gsovsky's Grand Pas Classique. He was promoted to sujet
in 1990 and premier danseur
in 1991. Balletmaster Rudolf Nureyev
cast him as Mercutio and subsequently Romeo in his version of Romeo and Juliet; he then performed in Nijinska's
Le Train Bleu, in Robbins'
In the Night
, Neumeier's
Vaslaw, Lander's
Etudes, Nureyev's La Bayadère
, Mats Ek
's version of Giselle
, and Petit's
Le Jeune Homme et la Mort
and Les Forains.
Le Riche was promoted to the Paris Opera Ballet's highest rank, that of étoile (literally, star), after his debut in the róle of Albrecht in the traditional version of Giselle
; he is the recipient of the Prix Benois de la Danse
, the Nijinsky Award, and is a Chevalier of Arts and Letters
. He performed A Suite of Dances
as guest artist at New York City Ballet
's Jerome Robbins celebration in June 2008. As choreographer he has made ballets since 2001, including Caligula to Vivaldi's
The Four Seasons
in 2005.
Paris Opera Ballet
The Paris Opera Ballet is the oldest national ballet company in the world, and many European and international ballet companies can trace their origins to it...
school at age ten and joined the corps de ballet
Corps de ballet
In ballet, the corps de ballet is the group of dancers who are not soloists. They are a permanent part of the ballet company and often work as a backdrop for the principal dancers. A corps de ballet works as one, with synchronized movements and corresponding positioning on the stage...
six years later; his first ròle was in Gsovsky's Grand Pas Classique. He was promoted to sujet
Soloist (ballet)
In ballet, a soloist is a dancer in a ballet company above the corps de ballet but below principal dancer....
in 1990 and premier danseur
Principal dancer
A principal dancer is a dancer at the highest rank within a professional dance company, particularly a ballet company....
in 1991. Balletmaster Rudolf Nureyev
Rudolf Nureyev
Rudolf Khametovich Nureyev was a Russian dancer, considered one of the most celebrated ballet dancers of the 20th century. Nureyev's artistic skills explored expressive areas of the dance, providing a new role to the male ballet dancer who once served only as support to the women.In 1961 he...
cast him as Mercutio and subsequently Romeo in his version of Romeo and Juliet; he then performed in Nijinska's
Bronislava Nijinska
Bronislava Nijinska - February 22, 1972)) was a Russian dancer, choreographer, and teacher of Polish descent.Nijinska was born in Minsk, the third child of the Polish dancers Tomasz and Eleonora Nijinska . Her brother was Vaslav Nijinsky...
Le Train Bleu, in Robbins'
Jerome Robbins
Jerome Robbins was an American theater producer, director, and choreographer known primarily for Broadway Theater and Ballet/Dance, but who also occasionally directed films and directed/produced for television. His work has included everything from classical ballet to contemporary musical theater...
In the Night
In the Night
In the Night is a ballet made by New York City Ballet balletmaster Jerome Robbins to solo piano music of Chopin: The premiere took place on Thursday, January 29, 1970, at the New York State Theater, Lincoln Center, with costumes by Anthony Dowell and lighting by Jennifer Tipton...
, Neumeier's
John Neumeier
John Neumeier is a well-known American ballet dancer, choreographer, and director. He has been the director and chief choreographer of the Hamburg Ballet since 1973. 5 years later he founded the Hamburg Ballet School, which also includes a boarding school...
Vaslaw, Lander's
Harald Lander
Harald Lander is a Danish dancer, choreographer and artistic director of the Royal Danish Ballet.Lander started as a dancer, studying under ballet master Michel Fokine in 1926-27...
Etudes, Nureyev's La Bayadère
La Bayadère
La Bayadère is a ballet, originally staged in four acts and seven tableaux by French choreographer Marius Petipa to the music of Ludwig Minkus. La Bayadère was first performed by the Imperial Ballet at the Imperial Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia, on...
, Mats Ek
Mats Ek
Mats Ek is a leading Swedish dance and ballet choreographer, dancer and stage director. He was the manager of the Cullberg Ballet from 1985 to 1993....
's version of Giselle
Giselle
Giselle is a ballet in two acts with a libretto by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Théophile Gautier, music by Adolphe Adam, and choreography by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot. The librettist took his inspiration from a poem by Heinrich Heine...
, and Petit's
Roland Petit
Roland Petit was a French choreographer and dancer born in Villemomble, near Paris, France. He trained at the Paris Opéra Ballet school, and became well known for his creative ballets.-Biography:...
Le Jeune Homme et la Mort
Le jeune homme et la mort
Le Jeune Homme et La Mort is a ballet by Roland Petit, choreographed in 1946 to Bach's Passacaglia in C Minor, BWV 582 , with a one-act libretto by Jean Cocteau. It tells the story of a Young Man driven to suicide by his faithless lover. Sets were by Georges Wakhévitch and costumes variously...
and Les Forains.
Le Riche was promoted to the Paris Opera Ballet's highest rank, that of étoile (literally, star), after his debut in the róle of Albrecht in the traditional version of Giselle
Giselle
Giselle is a ballet in two acts with a libretto by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Théophile Gautier, music by Adolphe Adam, and choreography by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot. The librettist took his inspiration from a poem by Heinrich Heine...
; he is the recipient of the Prix Benois de la Danse
Prix Benois de la Danse
The Benois de la Danse is one of the most prestigious ballet competition. Founded by the International Dance Association in Moscow in 1991, it takes place each year on or around April 29 and is jury-based in its judging...
, the Nijinsky Award, and is a Chevalier of Arts and Letters
Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
The Ordre des Arts et des Lettres is an Order of France, established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture, and confirmed as part of the Ordre national du Mérite by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963...
. He performed A Suite of Dances
A Suite of Dances
A Suite of Dances is a ballet made by New York City Ballet balletmaster Jerome Robbins on Mikhail Baryshnikov to four movements from Bach's Six Suites for Solo Cello : *Prelude from Suite I in G major, BWV 1007...
as guest artist at New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Leon Barzin was the company's first music director. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company...
's Jerome Robbins celebration in June 2008. As choreographer he has made ballets since 2001, including Caligula to Vivaldi's
Antonio Vivaldi
Antonio Lucio Vivaldi , nicknamed because of his red hair, was an Italian Baroque composer, priest, and virtuoso violinist, born in Venice. Vivaldi is recognized as one of the greatest Baroque composers, and his influence during his lifetime was widespread over Europe...
The Four Seasons
The Four Seasons (Vivaldi)
The Four Seasons is a set of four violin concertos by Antonio Vivaldi. Composed in 1723, The Four Seasons is Vivaldi's best-known work, and is among the most popular pieces of Baroque music. The texture of each concerto is varied, each resembling its respective season...
in 2005.