French ballet prodigy Yvette Chauviré dies aged 99 at home in Paris

France's acclaimed ballerina Yvette Chauviré died on 19 October at the age of 99 in her home in Paris

Yvette Chauviré is one of the rare dancers to have received the title “prima ballerina assoluta” PHOTO: AFP
Yvette Chauviré is one of the rare dancers to have received the title “prima ballerina assoluta” PHOTO: AFP

Yvette Chauviré, a grande dame of French ballet, has died at the age of 99 at her home in Paris.

Chauviré, born in April 1917, was 10 when she entered the Paris Opera dance school and was officially accepted into the dance corps in 1931. She became a principal dancer in 1937 and reached the highest rank, étoile, in 1941.

The Paris Opera announced the news of her death on Wednesday evening. “The ensemble of staff at the Paris National Opera are sad to learn of the death of Yvette Chaurviré, prima ballerina,” dance directors Stéphane Lissner and Aurélie Dupont wrote in a statement.

Chauviré was widely considered one of France’s greatest ever classical dancers.

Her last performance was at the Palais Garnier opera house in 1972 when she danced the title role in the classic Giselle, a role that was her signature piece.