With a new season underway, former dancer of the New York City Ballet and French-born Artistic Director of Dance of the Paris Opera Ballet, Benjamin Millepied, has resigned from the position he's held for just over a year, having succeeded Brigitte Lefèvre's nineteen-year tenure. Former étoile Aurélie Dupont, 43, who bid farewell to the stage in May of last year, is to replace Millepied’s sort-lived post this coming September.Rumors swirled that his wife, actress Natalie Portman, wanted to relocate to Los Angeles but, in reality, the diversion to Paris seems to have been a well-planned, short-term manoeuvre.At a press conference, held last Thursday at the Glaciers rotunda of Palais Garnier, Millepied said: “I want to focus 100% on creation.” Already in demand for choreographic commissions worldwide, Millepied is to return to Los Angeles in order to direct his own company, the LA Dance Project, which he set up in 2011.While his departure may be shocking to some, it shouldn't come as any surprise given the restrictive, day-to-day administrative tasks the job entails – revolving 154 dancers would be sure to dampen the creative force of nature that Millepied represents. Indeed, many wondered about the decision for him to take the role in the first place. There’s no doubt Millepied contributed radical changes to the way the traditionally rule-bound institution used to operate before his arrival – heavily competitive, organized around hierarchical structures, promoting primarily its étoiles whilst eclipsing lower ranking dancers until they’d be promoted after years of performance. Millepied’s sleight-of-hand altered not only the rules but also the roles: he cast subordinates in the lead, sometimes even promoting them tout-de-suite; but, in doing so, also relegated the Opera's storied étoiles to the sidelines and got caught: it was noticed that some were kept off-stage for far too long, tipping a fragile equilibrium carefully constructed to ensure reputations are upheld and the show goes on. It seems ironic, given his reputation as choreographer of Darren Aronofsky’s psychological thriller “Black Swan” (2010) – which focuses on the impact of rivalry between dancers - that Millepied arrived at the Paris Opera Ballet as if the film had traumatized him, exuding an empathy for the up-and-coming which sought to break from the ancient norms of a company founded centuries ago. For what it’s worth, Mr. Millepied can say “mission accomplished” – he set up a choreographic academy with William Forsythe as associate choreographer serving under a year’s contract, and he initiated the “3rd Stage” – an online platform of dance-videos made in collaboration with filmmakers and the dancers and musicians of the Paris Opera: so far 22 of them are on-view. He was also adept at cultivating an international following for the Opera, and the attendant fund-raising capacity such a crowd enables. A who’s-who attended a star-studded opening night gala this past autumn that raised more than $1 million.Millepied claimed that the Paris Opera Ballet is not the best classical ballet troupe, but perhaps the best contemporary dance company in the world. Aurélie Dupont remarked that Millepied programmed just two classical ballets for the next season and that, in contrast, she plans for the company to dance more classical ballets in the future.So, where lies the future of the Paris Opera Ballet now? On a former étoile who, despite her reputation as a great dancer like Millepied, has no experience directing a large dance company – or even a small one, like Millepied's Angelenos. Her only advantage is that she danced for 32 years on the same stage; “the Paris Opera is my house,” she said. But can she make a home for Millepied's flock, who've wandered far from tradition and now find themselves on more experimental ground? Only time will tell.Benjamin Millepied’s new ballet, “The night ends,” runs at Palais Ganrier until February 20, 2016 as part of a mixed bill. His further two new ballets scheduled for the 2016-17 season, are due to be announced on February 10. The UK premiere of his LA Dance Project runs at Sadler’s Wells, London, from June 24 – 25, 2016.
↧