Directed by Élisabeth Platel, the Paris Opera Ballet School celebrates two anniversaries in 2023. On the occasion of Claude Bessy’s 90th birthday, the students perform her Concerto in D choreographed to a score by Bach. Emblematic of the School’s excellence, this ballet brings together on stage all the “divisions”, underlining the French School’s musicality, elegant “épaulements” and rapid “batteries”. In homage to Rudolf Nureyev, who died 30 years ago, Act III of Raymonda brims with modern energy: the character dances, the depth of the characters and the technical virtuosity confirm his talent for transforming the influences that marked him. In counterpoint to these celebrations, Martin Chaix, a former dancer with the School and the Ballet, offers the students a creation: Ma Mère l’Oye evokes the innocence of childhood and brings to life the whimsical characters of Perrault’s tales.