Yvette Chauviré

Born in Paris on April 22nd 1917, Yvette Chauviré was admitted to the Paris Opera dance school at the age of ten. She took her first steps on the stage in 1929 in L’éventail de Jeanne. She joined the Opera corps de ballet in 1934 where she quickly worked her way to the top: from quadrille she directly became petit sujet without ever being Coryphée. She was named Étoile in December 1941 at the premiere of the ballet Istar choreographed for her by Serge Lifar. 

In 1947, she enjoyed tremendous success with her interpretation of the role of the shadow in les Mirages by Serge Lifar. However, her career at the Opera was rife with disputes and she left the company a number of times, particularly in 1946 when she joined Serge Lifar as guest Étoile at the Ballet de Monte-Carlo. She had already performed with this company in 1945 and after. She returned to the Paris Opera from 1947 to 1949 and set off again on a world tour from 1949 to 1952 before returning to the parent company from 1953 to 1962. Alongside this, she continued to perform under contract in various companies world-wide, as well as creating choreographies including Rendez-vous sentimental.
 

In 1970, she performed in Brazil in Buenos Aires in the solo The Dying Swan. That same year, she opened a dance school in Paris. In 1972, she bade farewell to the stage alongside Cyril Atanassoff in the role of Giselle. From 1970 to 1977, she presided over the Académie Internationale de Danse, Paris, and passed down her talent to the Opera’s Étoiles. In 1976, Yvette Chauviré performed in the play Amphitryon by Jean Giraudoux. She was also honorary president of the Association Française des Maitres de Danse Classique (A.F.M.D.C.). In 1991, she accepted to return to the stage in Switzerland to create the role of Maude for the contemporary creation of the ballet Harold and Maude by the company Sinopia Ensemble de Danse, choreographed by Etienne Frey: a role that she interpreted in turn with Rosella Hightower, on an original score by Michaël Jarell especially composed for this ballet.

She was awarded the title of prima ballerina assoluta, a distinction that is very rare. Yvette Chauviré was made Commander of the Legion of Honour in 1988 and Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour in 2010.

Yvette Chauviré passed away on October 21st, 2016.

Source : Opéra National de Paris