Roland Petit, 1924-2011

[Reiner Torheit]

An appreciation of the life and work of choreographer Roland Petit, who has died aged 87.

[The Guardian]

[Stanley Stewart]

Heartening to read such a splendid appreciation of the diverse work of Roland Petit who regularly brought his companies to London in the 50s and 60s   It's only a few months since I read the biography of Leslie Caron and the most illuminating chapters covered her early years as a dancer in his company and his huge influence and development of ballet as he nurtured her career in the austere climate of post WW2 France.  His Hollywood era also enlivened the musical, although it may be circumspect to discount the film "Glass Slipper", mid 50ish.  Michael Wilding in ballet?  Even his blushes could be seen when interviewed in b/w TV!  However, M.Petit was a major and innovative talent.    RIP.     

[Mary Chambers]

All those names from my childhood and youth! I disliked Zizi Jeanmaire and her Carmen, but was fascinated by a photo of Margot Fonteyn as the White Cat in Les Demoiselles de la Nuit. (I think 'close friendship' is a bit euphemistic for Petit's relationship with Fonteyn in their youth.) I also have memories of his rather odd ballet Paradise Lost, an updated Adam nd Eve story for Fonteyn and Nureyev. I think it was of this ballet, which had very  'modern' choreography, costumes and bizarre effects, that Fonteyn said 'This is a hell of a way to spend your 48th birthday' (hers).

Les Demoiselles de la Nuit, Petit and Fonteyn



That doesn't seem to have worked. Maybe this one will - Fonteyn and Nureyev in Petit's Paradise Lost, 1967, almost twenty years after Les Demoiselles de la Nuit -

[Mary Chambers]

Another try - 1948, Fonteyn and Petit - rather blurry because I had to enlarge a tiny photo.

[alywin]

I have to say, I've only seen one Petit ballet live - L'Arlésienne, back in 1985 with London Festival Ballet, as they then were, with Patrick Armand and Mireille Bourgeois in the leads (this was so long ago that I can actually remember individual casts, instead of them merging into a blur).  I'm looking forward to seeing it again, along with Carmen and Le Jeune Homme et La Mort, at the London Coliseum next week.  (LFB also did Carmen at the end of the 80s, but I never saw it.)  What a shame Petit won't, after all, be there to see the programme - his work has been very much neglected in the UK.

[Pianorak]

I have to say, I've only seen one Petit ballet live - L'Arlésienne, back in 1985 with London Festival Ballet, as they then were, with Patrick Armand and Mireille Bourgeois in the leads (this was so long ago that I can actually remember individual casts, instead of them merging into a blur).  I'm looking forward to seeing it again, along with Carmen and Le Jeune Homme et La Mort, at the London Coliseum next week.  (LFB also did Carmen at the end of the 80s, but I never saw it.)  What a shame Petit won't, after all, be there to see the programme - his work has been very much neglected in the UK.

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Arthaus%2BMusik/107197
plus quite a few other RP ballets available on prestoclassical at the moment.

[alywin]

I have to say, I've only seen one Petit ballet live - L'Arlésienne, back in 1985 with London Festival Ballet, as they then were, with Patrick Armand and Mireille Bourgeois in the leads (this was so long ago that I can actually remember individual casts, instead of them merging into a blur).  I'm looking forward to seeing it again, along with Carmen and Le Jeune Homme et La Mort, at the London Coliseum next week.  (LFB also did Carmen at the end of the 80s, but I never saw it.)  What a shame Petit won't, after all, be there to see the programme - his work has been very much neglected in the UK.

It was a good evening, but not one I'd want to repeat too often - it's a bit heavy to digest for me.