The Ballet

Ballet was born in France in the century of Louis XIV and began to develop in Bordeaux in the eighteenth century, progressively acquiring a prestigious and creative dimension.

In the 1990s, the Ballet de l'Opéra de Bordeaux opened up its classical heritage to the modern era, working with many different choreographers. It now has nearly 40 dancers and has been directed by Charles Jude (1996-2017) choreographer and leading dancer with the Opéra de Paris. In addition to the classic repertory (e.g. The Nutcracker, Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake), the company performs the ballets it has inherited from Les Ballet Russes (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, by Nijinsky, Petrushka by Fokine, etc.) but also the work of neo-classical and contemporary choreographers (Jirí Kylián, William Forsythe, Carolyn Carlson and others).

The Ballet of the Opéra National de Bordeaux is a fully-fledged member of the Opéra National de Bordeaux, which is currently directed by Marc Minkowski. It performs each season in the Grand Théâtre, but also on tour in France and abroad. It has won many prizes, including the Herald Angels award at the Edinburgh International Festival, the prize for the Best Foreign Ballet in Cuba and the prestigious Lifar Prize on two occasions (2001 and November 2014).