Les Ballets de Monte Carlo

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Les Ballets de Monte Carlo is a classical ballet company established in 1985 by Her Royal Highness the Princess of Hanover in accordance with the wishes of her mother, Princess Grace of Monaco. It is the offical, national company of the Principality of Monaco.

Les Ballets de Monte Carlo should not be confused with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo from the spirit of which this company may have sprung.

[edit] History

The first performance for Les Ballets de Monte Carlo took place on 1985-12-21, casting among others several guest stars of the Paris Opera. Directed by Ghislaine Thesmar and Pierre Lacotte, the company rehearsed in the Diaghilev studio, performing on the stage of the Salle Garnier at the Monte Carlo Opera and immediately started touring. Their repertoire includes works from the Ballets Russes, contemporary pieces from guest choreographers such as Kevin Haigen, John Clifford, Jean-Christophe Maillot, Dieter Amman, Uwe Scholz. In 1989, Jean Yves Esquerre becomes artistic director, after the departure of Ghislaine Thesmar and Pierre Lacotte one year earlier.

In 1992, Jean-Christophe Maillot joined Ballets de Monte Carlo, first as artistic consultant. He was officially promoted to the rank of director-choreographer in September 1993. Four years later, thanks to his vision and his energy, the Ballets de Monte Carlo left the building that had been their historical home, which had by then become too small, and moved into their own dance center: L'ATELIER. Further, in December 2000, they inaugurated their first ballet season on the huge stage of the Salle des Princes at the brand new congress center in Monaco, the Grimaldi Forum. These were two turning points in the modern history of the Ballets de Monte-Carlo, and the beginning of a new dance era in Monaco.