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Elisabeth PlatelBallerina
Date of Birth: 10.04.1959
Country:  France |
Content:
Elizabeth Platel - A French Ballerina
Elizabeth Platel is one of the most well-known and beloved French ballerinas of the late 20th century. She embodies the purest and most elevated qualities of the French ballet school, and is regarded by many as one of the true ballerinas of her generation.
Early Life and Education
Elizabeth Platel was born on April 10, 1959 in Paris, France. Her parents had no connection to ballet or theater, although her mother had some dance experience. In the mid-1960s, it was common for young girls to take dance lessons to improve their figure or health, and Platel began her dance training by chance. She initially joined the Conservatoire of the city of Saint-Germain-en-Laye near Paris, where she acquired a solid foundation in both choreography and music. Her teacher then introduced her to Christiane Vaussard, a former ballet dancer at the Paris Opera and now an outstanding professor at the Paris Conservatoire. Vaussard immediately took Platel under her wing and became a key figure in her development as a dancer. Platel studied at the Paris Conservatoire from 1971 to 1975, and upon completion of the program, she received first prize, which allowed her to continue her education at the Ballet School of the Paris Opera from 1975 to 1976. She was also influenced by Pierre Lacotte, who worked with her at the Ballet School of the Paris Opera, and Raymond Franchetti, the owner of a studio where she had the opportunity to observe professional dancers, including Noella Pontois of the Paris Opera and Rudolf Nureyev.
Professional Career
In 1976, at the age of 17, Elizabeth Platel joined the corps de ballet of the Paris Opera. Her position in the hierarchy of the company quickly rose, and the following year, she was promoted to the rank of coryphée. In 1978, she became a sujet and received a silver medal in the junior group at the International Ballet Competition in Varna. That same year, she danced her first solo roles in George Balanchine's "Divertimento No. 15" and "The Four Temperaments." Balanchine, who always maintained a fruitful relationship with the Paris Opera, became one of Platel's favorite choreographers, although she never had the opportunity to work with him personally. In 1979, at the age of 19, she was appointed as a premier danseur. Maurice Béjart selected Platel to perform in his ballet "Life" alongside Jean Babilée in 1979. The following year, she also danced the role of The Chosen One in Béjart's version of "The Rite of Spring." In 1981, Platel began preparing for her first major role in a full-length classical ballet - "La Sylphide" with Pierre Lacotte, her former teacher. "La Sylphide," an epoch-making production from 1832 that brought the romantic style to ballet and made Marie Taglioni a world-famous ballerina, became one of Platel's most significant works at the Paris Opera. In the same year, she also learned and performed leading roles in "Swan Lake," "Paquita," and "Giselle." Platel was awarded the title of étoile after her debut in "Giselle" on December 23, 1981.
When Rudolf Nureyev was invited to the Paris Opera in 1981 to stage his version of "Don Quixote," he chose Platel to perform the role of the Queen of the Dryads. Nureyev often gave young dancers the chance to perform in his ballets, and for Platel, this marked the beginning of a successful creative collaboration with Nureyev, who, especially after his appointment as the director of the ballet at the Paris Opera from 1983 to 1989, became one of the most important figures in her career. In 1983, Nureyev staged his first full-length ballet as director of the Paris Opera - Marius Petipa's late masterpiece "Raymonda." Platel danced the title role at the premiere, with Charles Jude as Jean de Brienne (later, Platel also danced "Raymonda" with the Bolshoi Ballet as a guest artist). The following year, she became the first performer of the role of Odette-Odile in Nureyev's new version of "Swan Lake" at the Paris Opera. The leading role in "Swan Lake" became her most frequently performed role. Nureyev also entrusted her with the leading roles in his versions of "Sleeping Beauty" (1989) and "La Bayadère," his last work for the Paris Opera (role of Gamzatti - 1992; she later also danced Nikiya).
During her time at the Paris Opera, Platel danced a large part of the extensive and rich repertoire of the company. In addition to the aforementioned choreographers, she also performed in works by Lifar, Robbins, MacMillan, Forsythe, Nikolais, Childs, Armitage, van Manen, van Dantzig, and Neumeier. Her collaboration with John Neumeier, which began in 1980 when Platel was still a premier danseur at the Paris Opera, was particularly fruitful and lasting. Together, they worked on numerous ballets including "Vaslav," "Magnificat," "The Nutcracker," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," and "Sylvia." Neumeier is one of the few choreographers who worked with Platel throughout her career. Alongside Petipa (mainly in Nureyev's versions) and Balanchine, John Neumeier is one of Platel's favorite choreographers.
After her official retirement from the Paris Opera in 1999, Platel continued to perform as a guest artist in the Paris Opera and other theaters around the world. She has appeared as a guest artist in the Royal Ballet in London, the Danish Royal Ballet, the Hamburg Ballet, the Ballet of the Vienna Opera, the Ballet of the Berlin Opera, the National Ballet of Finland, the Bolshoi Ballet, the Mariinsky Theatre, the Royal New Zealand Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, and the Municipal Theatre in Rio de Janeiro.
Throughout her career, Platel has received numerous awards and honors, including the Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement of the Year in Ballet, the West End Theatres Award in London, the Prix Massine, and the Benois de la Danse. She is also a Chevalier des Arts et Lettres and a Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur.
Elizabeth Platel's performances have been documented in various ballets, including "La Sylphide," "Don Quixote," "La Bayadère," "Giselle," and "Swan Lake." She has left a lasting legacy in the world of ballet with her impeccable technique, graceful style, and profound artistry.
