Le Chevalier et la Damoiselle (The Knight and the Maiden)
Serge Lifar in costume for Le Chevalier et la Damoiselle, photographed by Studio Harcourt in 1941.
QUICK F A C T S
- ✦ Premiere: July 2, 1941, Paris Opéra
✦ Choreography: Serge Lifar
✦ Music: Philippe Gaubert
✦ Inspired By: A medieval lai by the 12th-century poet Marie de France
✦ Setting: A legendary medieval world of knights, maidens, and enchantment
✦ Notable Feature: Lifar researched authentic medieval dances and customs to shape the ballet's movement style.
Serge Lifar in costume for Le Chevalier et la Damoiselle, photographed by Studio Harcourt in 1941.
S U M M A R Y
Serge Lifar carefully researched medieval dances and customs, incorporating authentic movement ideas to evoke the spirit of the Middle Ages while shaping them into the theatrical ballet Le Chevalier et la Damoiselle (The Knight and the Maiden). Choreographed by Lifar with music by Philippe Gaubert, the two-act ballet premiered at the Paris Opéra on July 2, 1941. Inspired by one of the medieval lais of the twelfth-century poet Marie de France, the work celebrates the ideals of chivalry, courtly love, and medieval romance through elegant choreography and richly atmospheric staging.
A French magazine feature captures Serge Lifar and Solange Schwarz during the 1941 premiere of Le Chevalier et la Damoiselle at the Paris Opéra.
A 1941 issue of La Musique magazine featuring Serge Lifar and Solange Schwarz in Le Chevalier et la Damoiselle.
The ballet follows a noble knight and a young maiden whose love is tested through adventure, enchantment, and acts of courage. Drawing on medieval legend rather than historical events, the story unfolds through tournaments, woodland encounters, and symbolic transformations—including the maiden's magical transformation into a white hind. Blending romance with folklore, the ballet creates a world where honor, loyalty, and courage guide every choice.
Today, Le Chevalier et la Damoiselle is remembered as one of Serge Lifar's most significant creations and one of the defining French ballets of the 1940s. Although it is performed only occasionally today, the work is admired for its refined choreography, its thoughtful recreation of medieval culture, and its contribution to twentieth-century narrative ballet. It also marked the final ballet score completed by Philippe Gaubert, making the production an important milestone in French ballet history.
Serge Lifar in costume for Le Chevalier et la Damoiselle, photographed by Studio Harcourt in 1941.
E N C O R E
✦ A Medieval Revival – Rather than simply creating a fantasy, Serge Lifar studied medieval culture to recreate the spirit of the Middle Ages through dance.
✦ A Rare Treasure – Although seldom performed today, Le Chevalier et la Damoiselle remains one of Lifar's most admired narrative ballets and a milestone in twentieth-century French ballet.
✦ A Composer's Final Ballet – The score was Philippe Gaubert's last completed ballet composition, making the work an important part of both French musical and ballet history.