Cambodian princess and classical dancer kept the traditions of Khmer ballet alive

As a beautiful young woman, Norodom Buppha Devi danced for the visiting Charles de Gaulle on the terrace of the ancient temple complex Angkor Wat. The French president was spellbound.

Arguably the most celebrated of the 14 children of King Sihanouk of Cambodia, she started dancing at the age of 5 and was granted the title of prima ballerina with the Royal Ballet of Cambodia while a teenager. She has died aged 76, of natural causes.

An alluring and formidable presence in and out of Cambodia through periods of turmoil and stability, the petite and delicatelooking princess, whose name in

Khmer translates as

Goddess of

Flowers, held a unique place in the hearts of

Cambodians.

Taught the intricate gestures of Khmer classical dance by her adored grandmother Queen Kossamak, the princess inspired a new generation of Cambodians to learn the painstakingly complex movements and centuries-old traditions of the country’s royal ballet. Cambodian classical dance dates back to the illustrious period of the great Khmer empire at Angkor between the 9th and 15th centuries. It is rooted in the Reamker, a Cambodian Buddhist interpretation of the Hindu epic poem the Ramayana, the intricately carved bas-reliefs of which adorn the walls of Angkor Wat to this day.

Samdech Reach Botrei Preah Ream Norodom Buppha Devi was born in Phnom Penh during her father’s first reign as king (from 1941 to 1955; he reigned again from 1993 until his abdication in 2004). She was the halfsister of King Norodom Sihamoni, the country’s present monarch, and was educated at Lycee Preah Norodom in Phnom Penh.

In 1964 she accompanied her father, at that time Prince Norodom Sihanouk, on a state visit to France, where she danced at the Opera National de Paris, captivating the French audience. ‘‘When my father used to travel abroad, he always wanted to show something of what Cambodia is like, so he usually brought the royal ballet troupe to show Cambodian culture,’’ she recalled.

De Gaulle was far from the only world leader entranced by the princess’s beauty and enigmatic performances. She danced for Zhou Enlai, the first premier of the People’s Republic of China, Josip Broz Tito of Yugoslavia, and President Sukarno of Indonesia. The last is rumored to have asked King Sihanouk for her hand in marriage. Jacqueline Kennedy enjoyed a private performance, as did Princess Margaret in the late 1960s.

Devi was married four times. Her first husband was Norodom Norinractevong, whom she married when she was 15. There were no children. Her second was Sisowath Monichivann, with whom she had Princess Sisowath Moni Kossoma and Princess Sisowath Kalyan Tevi. Husband number three was Bruno Jacques Forsinetti, the son of an Italian diplomat in Cambodia, with whom she had a daughter, Princess Norodom Chansita Forsinetti. Her fourth husband was Sisowath Chivanmonirak. They had two children, Prince Sisowath Chivannariddh and Prince Sisowath Veakchiravuddh. All her children survive her.

When the Khmer Rouge’s genocidal regime came to power in 1975, its leader, Pol Pot, murdered dancers and musicians. Devi lived in exile in Beijing and Paris and remained overseas until 1991. ‘‘Everything was destroyed by the Khmer Rouge, it was the hardest time for us,’’ she said. ‘‘When there was peace, I went looking for the dancers. Many of them had gone [into exile] in Thailand and came back. I found some and we made a troupe and I set up a school.’’ After her return to Cambodia, the royal ballet, with barely a handful of elderly dancers and teachers surviving to help revive the art form, once again came under the protection of the royal palace in Phnom Penh. It would become an important symbol of the rebirth of Cambodia.

The ballet flourished under the princess’ auspices, but was not immune from controversy, because she was reluctant to countenance anything less than a rigid adherence to ancient traditions. Indeed, as minister of culture and fine arts from 1999 to 2004, and in later years, she was dedicated to ensuring the royal ballet’s survival and continued appreciation.

There were tours across southeast Asia, Europe and the United States, leading to renewed international interest in a form of classical dance that had almost been annihilated under the Khmer Rouge.

As recently as last year she was directing classical dance troupes on performances abroad. Devi often said that the royal ballet belongs to all Cambodians and her most important role was to ensure the preservation of classical dance for future generations.

‘‘Everything was destroyed by the Khmer Rouge, it was the hardest time for us.’’