Former dance director opens up on leaving Paris Opera Ballet

"NO questions?" Stephane Lissner, the general director of the Paris Opera, asked the 200 or so journalists assembled on Wednesday for the announcement of the Opera's 2016-17 season. There was the briefest pause. "Well, thank you," he said, leaving the podium immediately with the music director, Philippe Jordan, and the director of dance, Benjamin Millepied.

If Mr Lissner had not specified that remarks be limited to those about the new season, there would certainly have been a flurry of questions for Mr Millepied, who …