Jean-Christophe Maillot is set to make his debut in the repertoire of the Paris Opera with Vers un pays sage, bringing one of his best-known works from Monaco to the Palais Garnier this autumn.
Originally created in Monte-Carlo in 1995, the 28-minute ballet will be performed as part of the Paris Opera’s Paysages intérieurs programme from October 11 to November 7, 2026.
The production marks the beginning of a new collaboration between Maillot, director of the Ballets de Monte-Carlo, and the Paris Opera. It will be presented alongside Rearray by William Forsythe and Busk by Canadian choreographer Aszure Barton, who will also be making her debut in the Paris Opera repertoire.
Vers un pays sage was first performed on December 29, 1995, at the Salle Garnier of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo. Set to John Adams’ Fearful Symmetries, the work pays tribute to Maillot’s father, the painter Jean Maillot, who created almost 260 sets and costumes for opera, ballet and theatre productions before his early death.
The physically demanding work challenges dancers with 28 minutes of continuous movement, with Maillot using the choreography as a celebration of life and energy.
The ballet’s transmission to dancers of the Paris Opera Ballet is being overseen by Bernice Coppieters, an Étoile of the Ballets de Monte-Carlo who is now a répétitrice and principal ballet mistress with the company.
Coppieters worked closely with Maillot for three decades and created many of the leading roles in his repertoire. She now travels internationally to pass on his productions to dancers of major companies.
The collaboration will also give audiences in Paris several opportunities to discover more about Maillot and his work. A public rehearsal of Vers un pays sage will take place on Saturday, September 26, at the Amphithéâtre Olivier Messiaen at the Opéra Bastille.
Maillot will then take part in a public “Toï toï toï” meeting at Studio Bastille on September 29, where he will discuss the ballet, his career and the process of passing his work on to a new generation of performers.
The choreographer will also meet José Martinez, director of Dance at the Paris Opera, as part of the “Les Grands Entretiens” series. Their discussion will explore their shared influences, the development of the neoclassical style and the use of pointe shoes.
The two choreographers also share a connection to the Rosella Hightower International Dance Centre in Cannes, where both were trained.
Since becoming director of the Ballets de Monte-Carlo, Maillot has created more than 45 ballets, including Romeo and Juliet, Cinderella, La Belle and LAC. His work has subsequently been performed by leading companies around the world, including Teatro alla Scala Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Stuttgart Ballet and the Royal Danish Ballet.
The inclusion of Vers un pays sage in the Paris Opera repertoire represents another international milestone for Maillot and the Ballets de Monte-Carlo, bringing a work created in Monaco more than three decades ago to one of France’s most prestigious stages.
Paysages intérieurs will be presented at the Palais Garnier from October 11 to November 7, with the October 16 performance preceded by the traditional Défilé du Ballet.