Directed by French ballet legend Maurice Bejart with costumes designed by Gianni Versace, Ballet For Life was first performedin the Theatre de Challot, Paris, in January 1997 in the presence of Madame Chirac, Elton John and the three surviving members of Queen, John Deacon, Brian May and Roger Taylor. Since then, the ballet (also known as ‘Le Presbytere n’a rien perdu de son charme ni le jardin de son eclat’) continues to tour extensively around the world.
         Performed by Maurice Bejart’s famous ballet company, the Bejart Ballet of Lausanne, Ballet For Life is an intensely moving work which draws its inspiration from the lives of Freddie Mercury and Maurice Bejart’s former principal dancer, Jorge Donn, both of whom died of AIDS.
         Bejart’s score of Queen material is drawn from right across Queen’s rich catalogue, both live and studio tracks. Four Mozart pieces are interspersed throughout the performance, blending perfectly, enhancing the rich textures of the ballet.
         The ballet was filmed in the Theatre Metropole, Lausanne, Switzerland, in June 1997, to yet again, a packed audience who, breaking tradition, applauded throughout the performance; feelings running high at all times as the ballet’s own emotions are so easily conveyed.
         Maurice Bejart’s long standing friend, Gianni Versace was tragically killed in Miami shortly after the filming in Lausanne. Sadly, this project, a rare departure into the world of ballet for Versace, proved to be one of his last.
         On Sunday, 30 November, in its weekly programme ‘Musiques au coeur’ , France 2 pay homage to Bejart, one of France’s and the worlds most loved Choreographers, and broadcast the filmed performance as a prelude to International AIDS day, 1 December.
         The Ballet For Life film is directed by David mallet, known specifically for directing live performance concerts of such megastars as Tina Turner, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones and currently Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli, and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats.
         In addition to the filmed performance, ‘The Making Of Ballet For Life’ provides a unique half hour behind the scenes view of the ballet in production. Together with interviews from Roger Taylor and Brian May of Queen, Maurice Bejart and leading members of the Bejart Ballet of Lausanne explain their roles and the depth of work and their committment in bringing the ballet to the stage.