When Nureyev took up the position of Artistic Director of the ballet of the Paris opera in 1983, his words to the dancers of the ensemble so rich in tradition were, "Don’t talk, work", and only two months later he presented his magnificent new production of Marius Petipa’s oriental ballet Raymonda. This documentary by François Roussillon examines the various aspects of this ballet, which has become a classic in the repertoire of the ballet ensemble of the Paris opera through Rudolf Nureyev’s choreography. It was made in 1998 in honor of the great ballerina Yvette Chauviré and gives the dancers and other performers who during the fifteen years since the premiere of Nureyev’s choreography in 1983 have established the success of the ballet, a chance to speak. Their reminiscences are illustrated by numerous excerpts from various performances and rehearsals. Nureyev was a workaholic, but he succeeded as did no other to pass on his enthusiasm and passion for the classical dance to young dancers. Everyone who worked with him confirms this, beginning with Elisabeth Platel, the Raymonda of 1983, and Charles Jude to Claude de Vulpian and Manuel Legris, the stars of the New York performance of Raymonda in 1986. Nureyev’s innate talent for dancing and the perfection of his rehearsal work has made Raymonda one of the greatest masterworks of ballet history.
