This December, the immense stage of the Opéra Bastille will once again glow with the vivid colors, dramatic tension, and irresistible theatricality of Roland Petit’s Notre-Dame de Paris. Created in 1965 for the Paris Opera Ballet, this masterpiece remains one of Petit’s most iconic works, blending neoclassical precision with the irresistible flair of music-hall — a signature only he could invent.
Inspired by Victor Hugo’s monumental novel, Petit transforms the medieval world of Paris into a living fresco: Esmeralda’s radiant innocence, Quasimodo’s heartbreaking devotion, Frollo’s torment, and Phoebus’s seduction unfold against a chorus of crowds that shift from joy to cruelty in a heartbeat. With Maurice Jarre’s powerful score, René Allio’s evocative sets, and Yves Saint Laurent’s legendary costumes — shimmering like the stained-glass windows of a cathedral — this ballet is a feast for both heart and eyes.
But what makes this revival truly thrilling are the exceptional étoiles bringing these characters to life.
Three extraordinary ballerinas. Three unforgettable interpretations.
Alongside them, stars such as Hugo Marchand, Francesco Mura, Jérémy-Loup Quer, Florent Melac, Pablo Legasa, Milo Avêque and many others will shape a series of performances that are sure to become part of the ballet’s living history. And with the December 17 performance featuring yet another dazzling cast — plus the mystery still surrounding the Esmeraldas for December 25 and 30 — anticipation grows even more.
The Opéra Bastille is expected to be completely full, as it is for every ballet presented in this grand theatre. And rightly so: Notre-Dame de Paris is not just a ballet — it is an event, a celebration of Roland Petit’s genius, and a testament to the incomparable artistry of today’s Paris Opera dancers.
✨ Roland Petit’s Notre-Dame de Paris: A December of Pure Ballet Magic at the Opéra Bastille ✨
A celebration of genius, beauty, and the extraordinary étoiles who will bring Paris to life.
This December, Paris prepares for one of the most anticipated ballet events of the season: the return of Roland Petit’s Notre-Dame de Paris to the stage of the Opéra Bastille. More than a revival, it is a tribute — to a choreographer whose imagination reshaped 20th-century ballet, to a literary masterpiece that continues to move us, and to the modern stars of the Paris Opera Ballet who inherit this legacy with brilliance and depth.
🌟 The Genius of Roland Petit
Roland Petit was never just a choreographer — he was a storyteller, a sculptor of emotion, a master of theatrical instinct. His creations defied convention: sensual yet refined, dramatic yet balanced, always infused with a cinematic sense of beauty. Works such as Carmen, Le Jeune Homme et la Mort, La Rose Malade, and Notre-Dame de Paris have become pillars of the international ballet repertoire.
In Notre-Dame de Paris, premiered in 1965 at the Paris Opera, Petit achieves a rare alchemy:
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Neoclassical lines that honor tradition
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Expressionistic drama that heightens emotion
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Music-hall flair that gives the ballet its unmistakable color
Every movement reveals his signature: sharp épaulements, sculptural poses, breathtaking lifts, and storytelling that grips the viewer from the first step to the last.
🎨 A Masterpiece of Collaboration
Petit surrounded himself with an extraordinary creative team — artists whose names are now legendary.
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Maurice Jarre’s powerful, haunting score propels the drama with rhythmic urgency and lyrical tenderness.
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René Allio’s sets evoke the weight and mystery of medieval Paris, with shadows echoing across towering cathedral arches.
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Yves Saint Laurent’s iconic costumes shimmer like the stained-glass windows that inspired them, full of vivid color, elegance, and theatrical poetry.
The ballet is a moving fresco, a living painting, a story that feels at once medieval and timeless.
❤️ A Story of Passion, Darkness, and Humanity
Victor Hugo’s novel is, above all, a story about desire, difference, cruelty, and compassion. Petit distilled these themes masterfully into choreography:
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Esmeralda, radiant and free-spirited
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Quasimodo, tormented yet full of pure love
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Frollo, consumed by forbidden obsession
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Phoebus, emblem of charm, seduction, and fate
The crowd becomes a character in itself — a turbulent chorus shifting from joy to violence, echoing the contradictions of humanity.
⭐ A December Full of Stars: The Dancers Who Will Bring Paris to Life
One of the great joys of this production is the brilliant succession of étoiles who will embody these unforgettable characters.
Amandine Albisson — A luminous and noble Esmeralda
Amandine brings grace, purity, and a classical refinement that enhances every role she dances. Her Esmeralda promises to be deeply musical and beautifully sculpted, blending fragility and inner fire.
Roxane Stojanov — Expressive, magnetic, unforgettable
Few dancers possess Roxane’s emotional honesty on stage. With her radiant presence and dramatic instinct, she gives Esmeralda a humanity that resonates long after the curtain falls. Her December 7 performance will surely be a highlight of the entire run.
Sae Eun Park — Ethereal strength and absolute artistry
The first Korean étoile in the company’s history, Sae Eun Park dances with a purity that feels almost supernatural. Light as a sigh yet anchored by formidable technique, she will bring an Esmeralda of poetry, delicacy, and quiet power.
Three interpretations, three worlds — each a gift for the audience.
🔍 Dates of Special Anticipation
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December 6 — Opening performance with Albisson & Marchand
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December 7 — The poetic combination of Stojanov & Quer
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December 17 — A brilliant cast led by Sae Eun Park & Francesco Mura
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December 25 & 30 — Cast mystery! Who will be Esmeralda? Paris waits in suspense…
And on December 12 & 16, the ballet will be recorded for a 2027 worldwide cinema release — proof of its enduring artistic weight.
🎭 The Opéra Bastille: A Stage Worthy of Legend
Vast, modern, and commanding, the Opéra Bastille is the perfect setting for such a monumental ballet. Every December performance is expected to be sold out, as always when ballet takes over this immense Parisian stage. The atmosphere will be electric, with audiences from all over the world gathering for an unforgettable artistic experience.
✨ A December to Remember
Roland Petit’s Notre-Dame de Paris is more than a ballet — it is a celebration of imagination, passion, and the power of dance to convey the deepest of human truths.
This 2025 revival, danced by the Paris Opera Ballet’s finest artists — including my beloved stars with color, drama, beauty, and emotion.
✨🩰 Paris awaits you. And if you can't come to Paris, don't worry, it will be recorded and shown in cinemas worldwide, so that the ballet reaches all audiences and every corner of the planet, so that no one misses out on seeing this work of art.
