Serge Lifar Musagète

This biography film is one of the two that the French music and culture channel Mezzo screened lately by director Dominique Delouche. It traces the life and career of Ukranian-born French choreographer Serge Lifar who directed for several decades the ballet of the Paris opera and for a few years the Monte Carlo ballet. An influential figure of the 20th century dance history, Lifar was part of the Parisian artistic circles, worked with the most famous dancers, musicians, artists who created the decors of his works. He was a great dancer himself, and as a choreographer created reference versions of many key ballets. The film is quite scarce in biographical details although these are not completely missing and focuses mostly in his principal works which are presented through film clips of the original works, as well as of modern versions, and valuable comments about the artist and his work. It's a valuable documentary for people interested in the history of ballet and in the life and work of Lifar.