Patrice Bart

Since 1957, when he was accepted into the ballet school of the Paris Opera, Patrice Bart has maintained a close connection with the Opéra de Paris. Until the summer of 2014, he served for many years as ballet master and deputy director of the ballet company. In 1959, at just 14 and a half years old, he joined the corps de ballet with special dispensation. That same year, he was promoted to Coryphée, and in 1963, he was awarded the Prix René Blum, a prize for promising young dancers. As a Premier danseur, he won a gold medal at the International Ballet Competition in Moscow in 1969. After debuting as the Prince in Swan Lake, he was named Étoile in 1972, taking on all the great roles of the repertoire. He also participated in new choreographic works by Serge Lifar, Roland Petit, Kenneth MacMillan, and Rudolf Nureyev. In 1974, he was honoured with the Prix Nijinsky by the Université de la Danse. Notable for his exceptional dance technique, impeccable partnering, and outstanding comedic talent, he became a defining figure in ballet.

Bart’s passion for ballet and his extensive knowledge of the repertoire led him, after his performing career, directly into the role of ballet master. He worked alongside Eugène Polyakov to oversee the artistic management of the Paris Opera Ballet, assuming full responsibility for the company after Rudolf Nureyev’s departure in 1989. From that point, Bart was instrumental in preserving the high standards and rich traditions of the Paris Opera Ballet.

In 1991, Bart and Polyakov marked the 150th anniversary of Giselle’s premiere by restaging this pivotal work in ballet history. The following year, Bart assisted Rudolf Nureyev in staging La Bayadère. His first independent choreography, Don Quixote, was created in 1993 for the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin, initiating a highly productive collaboration. In 1995, he adapted this work for the Finnish National Ballet in Helsinki. He went on to choreograph Giselle for La Scala in Milan in 1996 and Coppélia for the Paris Opera Ballet in the same year. In 1998, he crafted a version of La Bayadère for the Bavarian State Ballet.

For the Staatsoper Berlin ensemble, Bart choreographed Swan Lake (1997), Verdiana (1999), The Nutcracker (1999), Giselle (2000), and, in 2002, Romeo and Juliet. In 2009, with the Berlin State Ballet, he premiered The Blazing Heart, a ballet inspired by the life of poet Percy Shelley. His other notable works include La Petite Danseuse de Degas (2002) for the Paris Opera Ballet, set to an original composition by Denis Levallant; Tchaikovsky (2005) for the Finnish National Ballet; and Sissi, Empress of Austria (2018) for the Croatian National Theatre Ballet in Zagreb. After stepping back from administrative and teaching roles, Bart dedicated himself solely to choreography.

Patrice Bart holds the titles of Officier des Arts et des Lettres, Officier de l’Ordre National du Mérite, and Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur, reflecting his immense contribution to the arts.