 "La Péri" was written for the Russian-French dancer Natalia Trouhanova, who starred in the first performance at the Châtelet in 1912.Diaghilev planned a production with his Ballets Russes but the production did not take place; the company's choreographer Fokine staged "L'apprenti sorcier" as a ballet in 1916.In 1916, Dukas married Suzanne Pereyra (1883-1947), who was of Portuguese descent.