Sophoife Posted June 2 Share Posted June 2 (edited) It seems premier danseur Audric Bezard is retiring without any sort of farewell performance... Three posts on Instagram would seem to say so, with their beautiful thanks to absolutely everyone involved in his dance career: teachers, directors, choreographers, partners, makeup, hair, costumes, therapists... Is he injured, does anyone know? @Amelie-DALP? (the links are to posts, not stories...I remembered to check 😉) Edited June 2 by Sophoife Forgot something 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaneHartley Posted June 2 Share Posted June 2 He's 42 - isn't that the age they are forced to retire? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophoife Posted June 2 Author Share Posted June 2 Yes, but it seems unusual that he doesn't farewell at an actual performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaneHartley Posted June 2 Share Posted June 2 10 hours ago, Sophoife said: Yes, but it seems unusual that he doesn't farewell at an actual performance. Is it unusual for someone who isn't an etoile? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophoife Posted June 3 Author Share Posted June 3 It is under José Martinez. Quadrille of over 20 years, Anémone Arnaud got solo bows, a bouquet, and a programme acknowledgment at the final Giselle. Every retirement has been properly acknowledged this season, of whatever rank. Classy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josette Posted June 3 Share Posted June 3 The official retirement age at the Paris Opera Ballet is 42 1/2 years. It used to be 40 for women and 45 for men, but that interesting disparity was changed at some point since I lived in Paris in the late 1990's. Perhaps Paco has that information. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Capricorn Posted June 3 Share Posted June 3 It was Louis XIV's penchant for dance from an early age that led to the creation of the Paris Opéra's specific pension program. The sovereign, who performed in public for the first time at the age of 12 in the Cassandra Ballet in 1651, showed concern for the choreographic arts and music throughout his reign. By signing a new edict in 1698, the king of France created the second retirement system in history, after that of sailors, for the dancers of the Paris Opéra. The retirement age was set at 40 years old, a threshold that did not change until it was postponed to 42 years old in 2010, when then-president Nicolas Sarkozy undertook his pension reform. Dancers of the Paris Opéra can retire at the age of 40 (legal retirement age) or at 42 (with full pension without reduction), because of the "hardship" of the profession, the risks of injury and the level of skill required to dance the great ballets. In the last attempt to reform this system, the ballet company of the Paris Opera went on strike at the turn of 2019/2020. Their hard-line strike led to the cancellation of 63 performances and a loss of €12.3 million in ticket sales. Further attempts at pension reform in France no longer concern dancers. One of the most famous etoils of today Mathieu Ganio has decided to end his career next year at the age of 41 and will say goodbye in one of his most famous roles - as Onegin. 2 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophoife Posted June 3 Author Share Posted June 3 (edited) 1 hour ago, Silver Capricorn said: One of the most famous etoils of today Mathieu Ganio has decided to end his career next year at the age of 41 and will say goodbye in one of his most famous roles - as Onegin. Then again, as he's been an étoile since two months after he turned 20, not surprising...especially given the family that has recently come in to his life, and the just-announced retirement of his husband (the name on this topic!). Edited June 3 by Sophoife Added last phrase 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amelie-DALP Posted June 3 Share Posted June 3 On 02/06/2024 at 06:58, Sophoife said: It seems premier danseur Audric Bezard is retiring without any sort of farewell performance... Three posts on Instagram would seem to say so, with their beautiful thanks to absolutely everyone involved in his dance career: teachers, directors, choreographers, partners, makeup, hair, costumes, therapists... Is he injured, does anyone know? @Amelie-DALP? (the links are to posts, not stories...I remembered to check 😉) From what I know: retirement age and a new family! He hasn't danced at all this season. Maybe he waited for the official age to announce his farewell. His departure took place last season in Maurice Béjart's "Boléro." It's a shame not to have had an "official" farewell at that moment: what a magnificent solo to leave in front of the audience! Very often, someone who has farewell in the corps de ballet was invited to take a solo bow on stage at the end of the performance. I really like the new tradition introduced by José Martinez. From now on, each departure from the company (from Quadrille to Soloist) is marked by a thank-you announcement on the cast sheet + the director coming on stage to present a bouquet of flowers + the solo bow at the front of the stage, of course. Very classy, as @Sophoife said. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophoife Posted June 3 Author Share Posted June 3 Yes, @Amelie-DALP, of the two shows I saw of that magnificent Béjart programme, due to Hugo Marchand being blessé I got to see Amandine Albisson twice in Boléro, and Marc Moreau in Le Chant du compagnon errant. I did see Bezard and Ganio in the duet, and really wished to have been able to stay longer in Paris and see Bezard and Ludmila Pagliero in Boléro! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted June 3 Share Posted June 3 (edited) Thank you for the updates, @Sophoife and @Silver Capricorn....a bit sad (as always) to hear about Bezard and Ganio retiring (a whole year early for Mathieu- sigh! But of course it's choice and it must have been something he thought about carefully). Yes, a pity Audric doesn't seem to be having a farewell performance- from his extensive list of lead and featured roles, I'm sure he has fans and well wishers keen to see him take a solo bow or in a bow in the lead role and give him a warm send off. Edited June 3 by Emeralds 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stucha Posted June 6 Share Posted June 6 https://www.instagram.com/p/C71nJ6nCIPN/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Tribute to Audric Bezard on the official Instagram page of the Paris opera ballet. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophoife Posted June 6 Author Share Posted June 6 I shouldn't be too surprised if José Martinez invited him to participate in next season's opening défilé to give the audience (and him) a proper farewell. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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