Books: Nicolas Le Riche

Photographer Anne Deniau has produced a remarkable tribute to the Paris Opera Ballet's premier danseur Nicolas Le Riche, published by Gourcuff Gradenigo. A protege of the late Rudolf Nureyev, Le Riche is known for both his expressive dancing and his dramatic intensity.

Deniau's book is daringly conceived in two parts: Nicolas (about the man) and Le Riche (about the artist) and you flip it over midway thru to move from one aspect to the other. Aside from an interview in which Deniau and Le Riche show the warmth and good-humour of their mutual admiration, there are only very brief written passages. Deniau makes Le Riche leap off the page with her superb photographs which capture not only his artistry but the myriad facets of his personality both onstage and off.

Dance aficionados love backstage and rehearsal photos almost as much as (if not more than) they like images of the finished product in performance. In the book, Deniau generously presents her subject in the course of his day-to day work as he labours always towards the goal of perfection.

In a performing context, Deniau's photographs catch the danseur both in 'formal' settings (above, BOLERO) and in more candid moments (below).  While the pictures here are all black & white, the book includes many colour images as well.

I don't believe I've ever seen such a grandly extensive collection of photographs of a dancer basically at one period in his career all in one book; the result is an impressive labour of love. The photos in this article are a mere sampling. The book gives us page after page of the charismatic Le Riche.

Nicolas Le Riche can be seen rehearsing and performing in the documentary film ETOILES. In 2008 he appeared as a guest artist with the New York City Ballet performing A SUITE OF DANCES as part of the Jerome Robbins celebration. Watch a video clip of Nicolas Le Riche in the mazurka from Serge Lifar's SUITE EN BLANC.

Comments

[tonya]

Wow, this looks like an excellent book! Thanks for finding it!

[Nina]

I've been fortunate to catch quite a few of Nicolas Le Riche's performances in Paris over the years. Deniau's photographs stir up many memories for me.

Le Riche is a very powerful and provocative dancer.