The Paris Opera is deeply saddened to learn of the death of star dancer Jean-Pierre Bonnefous at the age of 82.

Born in Bourg-en-Bresse in 1943, Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux trained at the Paris Opera Ballet School. He joined the Paris Opera Ballet in 1959 and was named Danseur Étoile in 1965 at the age of 21. He danced many roles in the repertoire (Études by Harald Lander, Apollon Musagète, Agon and Orphée by George Balanchine, and Giselle by Alicia Alonso) and was particularly noted for his creations of La Damnation de Faust (1964), Noces (1965), and Webern op.5 (1966) by Maurice Béjart.

In 1965, he created the role of Phœbus in Roland Petit's Notre-Dame de Paris at the Paris Opera.

In 1966, he took part in the television soap opera L'Âge heureux, which told of the lives of young dancers at the Palais Garnier.

In 1970, George Balanchine hired him as Principal of the New York City Ballet, where he danced a vast repertoire for ten years. He danced several works by Jerome Robbins, such as Beethoven Pas de Deux and An Evening's Waltzes in 1973, and ballets by George Balanchine, such as Stravinsky Violin Concerto in 1972 and Sonatine in 1975, alongside Violette Verdy.

In 1980, he retired from the stage, leaving the New York City Ballet to join his wife, dancer Patricia McBride, as head of the dance department at the University of Indianapolis.

In 1996, they were appointed artistic directors of the North Carolina Dance Theater.

Jean-Pierre Bonnefous stepped down as artistic director and president of Charlotte Ballet (formerly North Carolina Dance Theater) at the end of the 2016/2017 season at the age of 73.

The Opéra national de Paris pays tribute to this great dancer and teacher and salutes his artistic commitment throughout his international career.