Biography

Choreographer, Suite en Blanc

Born in Ukraine, Serge Lifar was one of the great male dancers of the 20th century. He trained with Bronislava Nijinska and Enrico Cecchetti and became a star performer with Serge Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes when he made his debut in 1923, becoming a Principal Dancer in 1925. With the death of Diaghilev in 1929, Lifar was invited by Jacques Rouché to take over the directorship of Paris Opéra Ballet at the young age of 24. He began choreographing with immediate success and staged and choreographed a large body of work, including Les Créatures de Prométhée, L'Après-midi d'un faune, Icare, Istar and Suite en Blanc.

Serge Lifar died at the age of 81 on December 15, 1986.