The production’s format, plot and designs are closely guided by that century’s aesthetic codes.

Le Rouge et le Noir continues to draw on the choreographer’s love of the 19th century, including its authors and ballets. Since then, Lacotte has been widely recognized internationally for his restagings of Romantic-era ballets. He meticulously reconstructed the ballet after discovering unpublished 19th-century documents penned by Philippe Taglioni, the ballet’s original choreographer. Lacotte is best known, however, for his 1972 revival of La Sylphide, an ongoing staple in the Paris Opéra Ballet’s repertoire.

An impressive list of achievements ensued: partnering Yvette Chauviré, founding his own company, choreographing Hamlet and collaborating with Edith Piaf, among others. Once in the company, Lacotte quickly climbed the ranks, becoming a premier danseur. He was admitted to the company’s affiliated school in 1942, where he studied with early-20th-century ballet luminaries, including Carlotta Zambelli. At 89, Lacotte has a long history with the Paris Opéra Ballet. The choreographer recently confided in an interview that this ballet will likely be his last. (The company posted an excerpt on World Ballet Day, available here.) Julien is condemned to die despite the efforts of the women who love him. His romantic entanglements with the wife of a French mayor, Madame de Rênal, and a marquis’ daughter, Mathilde de la Mole, lead to tragedy. Coveting companionship beyond his social station, Julien becomes caught between resenting the bourgeoisie and longing to be a part of it. The story follows the upward mobility of Julien Sorel, a working-class youth whose academic gifts open up a world of new opportunities. The ballet is based on Stendhal’s novel, a 19th-century tale of class struggle, ambition and ill-fated romance set during France’s Bourbon Restoration. Dorothée Gilbert and Hugo Marchand in Le Rouge et le Noir. Thanks to both public and private support, as well as Zoom technology that allowed rehearsals to move forward during lockdowns, Le Rouge et le Noir is finally in the spotlight. Plans for Le Rouge et le Noir were well underway in 2019 for a March 2021 premiere, but the pandemic complicated the ballet’s progress until French theaters were able to reopen in summer 2021.

Pierre Lacotte’s Le Rouge et le Noir(“The Red and the Black”) is a labor of love that, against all odds, finally had its world premiere on October 15. Lacotte not only choreographed the sprawling three-act work, which features music by Jules Massenet, he also designed the ballet’s 400 costumes and 35 painted backdrops. It’s been over 10 years since the Paris Opéra Ballet presented a new full-length story ballet. That changed this month.

La rouge et le noir