Ballet
The Flames of Paris
This is the French Revolution turned into a ballet, and it is as fiery as it sounds. It is best known today for one blazing pas de deux that gets pulled out at galas to make audiences lose their minds. If you love big heroic jumps and crowd-pleasing bravura, this is the one.
Fast facts
- Composer
- Boris Asafyev
- Choreographer
- Vasily Vainonen (1932); famously restaged by Alexei Ratmansky for the Bolshoi in 2008
- Premiere
- 1932, Leningrad
- Structure
- Originally four acts; often performed in condensed versions
- Running time
- About 2 hours
The story
Set during the French Revolution, the ballet follows peasants and revolutionaries rising up against the aristocracy, with the storming of the Tuileries as its big climax. The hero Philippe and the fierce Jeanne are swept up in the uprising, and the whole thing is really a celebration of the people in revolt. Plot aside, it exists mostly as a showcase for explosive, patriotic dancing.
What The Flames of Paris is famous for
- The show-stopping Flames of Paris pas de deux
- Explosive male bravura dancing
- A Soviet revolutionary spectacle
- Ratmansky's 2008 Bolshoi restaging
Companies that perform The Flames of Paris
The Flames of Paris is in the repertoire of companies including Bolshoi Ballet.
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the famous pas de deux?
It is a fireworks display of jumps, turns, and bravura that is wildly popular as a standalone gala number, often danced by competition stars.
Is it based on real history?
It is set during the French Revolution and draws on that era, though it is a dramatized, idealized Soviet take rather than a documentary.
Who choreographed it?
Vasily Vainonen created the 1932 original. Alexei Ratmansky made a widely admired reconstruction and restaging for the Bolshoi in 2008.
Who composed The Flames of Paris?
The Flames of Paris was composed by Boris Asafyev.
How long is The Flames of Paris?
The Flames of Paris runs about 2 hours.