Jump to content
This Site Uses Cookies. If You Want to Disable Cookies, Please See Your Browser Documentation. ×

La Scala Ballet appoints Mauro Bigonzetti as its next director


mussel

Recommended Posts

The New York Times reports in a February 2nd 'Arts Beat' article that Roberto Bolle and Laurent Hilaire were both contenders for the top position. From the Times story:

"The choice of Mr. Bigonzetti, 55, who works in a contemporary ballet idiom, over other contenders like the La Scala principal dancer Roberto Bolle or the former Paris Opera Ballet etoile, Laurent Hilaire, is nonetheless a surprise, since La Scala has long maintained a largely traditional classical repertory."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bigonzetti's Cinderella (SPOILER ALERT: she looses her skirt instead of her shoe) at least bring Caravaggio, Mauri.....

Well, from the trailer, it looks like she gets her feet dipped in glitter, in the Maillot version...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

well, I wish I could program a "remind me" for BalletAlert and I could tell you next year at this time, because Pacific Northwest Ballet will perform the Malliot version.

Gnossie, what would you program for La Scala, if you were hired as Artistic Director? Isn't part of the problem the lack of time slots provided by the Opera House? It is so dominated by Opera that there is minimal time for Ballet. Maybe La Scala's ballet needs a 2nd house to perform more often???

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd program more more and more full-length classicals and serious contemporary pieces, this means NO experiments. It's time to be serious!
...if there are only 12 performances of Don Quichotte and 8 of them are performed by guest dancers.... how could anyone ever improve?
....no one goes to la Scala to watch a home dancer, people go to La scala to catch a star from abroad, oh my, time passes and it does not get better....

Fascinating. The lack of promotion of local stars is the same problem that ABT has.

I am not so familiar with La Scala's rep, just that they have a lot of Nuriyev and have been adding the Ratmansky Full Length stories. I know they have performed the Balanchine Midsummer int he past. What types of full-lengths should La Scala add to its current rep? What additional serious contemporary pieces?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

*Unfortunately Quiteria(Kitri) is Zakharova and Basilio is Sarafanov

Really? I thought Zakharova withdrew from the production months ago, and Natalia Osipova was announced as her replacement. But then Osipova in tuirn was replaced by Alina Somova, who withdrew at the last minuste with an injury, or at least that's what the La Scala site indicates. So Sarafanov will be dancing his performances with Nicoletta Manni.

But yeah, if Manni is capable of dancing the lead, it's difficult to justify the company's over-reliance on guest artists.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Of course everyone has their preferences, but Sarafanov is a fine classical dancer and he was magnificent as Albrecht in Mikhailovsky Ballet's Giselle earlier this year. I don't think many will complain him dancing as Basilio as a guest.

He will be guesting in La Scala's Japan tour Don Quixote in September opposite Polina Semionova. (and also Maria Kochetkova with Ivan Vasiliev, and the Scala pair Nicoletta Manni with Claudio Coviello)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, Gnossie, artistic tastes are a bit like gelato flavors - we all have our personal favorites, and there is no use arguing over it. Sarafanov is very much needed at ABT to fill some of the Hallberg TBA slots, so maybe you will get your wish after all?

It seems that what Italy really needs is a billionaire (or two) to bankroll Hilaire to start a new company - or shore up a faltering company - that develops Italian talent over the long term, and gives them lots of performance opportunities.

I think the Queensland Ballet was very smart (or rather, the AD Li Cunxin) to add MacMillan's Romeo & Juliet and only brought in guest artists to partner with company principals.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks, Gnossie, now I understand your opinion because I agree Sarafanov may sometimes be boring in some works.

La Scala always bring one pair of their home team to Japan. Their tour coincides with the Opera tour in Japan and happens once in 3 or 4 years. (I think it is a package deal)

Do you recommend the Scala pair Nicoletta Manni & Claudio Coviello this time? (I am on subscription so I have to choose a pair)

I also wish Hilaire had his job at La Scala.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The 2016-17 season:

Coppelia

c: Mauro Bigonzetti

new production

Stravinsky Evening

Le sacre du printemps

c: Glen Tetley

Petrushka

c: Mikhail Fokine

Mixed Bill

La Valse

c: dancers from Teatro all Scala, supervised by Mauro Bigonzetti

new production

Symphony in C

c: George Balanchine

Scheherazade

c: Eugenio Scigliano

new production

Handel Project

c: Mauro Bigonzetti

new production

A Midsummer Night's Dream

c: George Balanchine

Swan Lake

c: Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov; staged by Alexei Ratmansky

Romeo and Juliet

c: Kenneth MacMillan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really like Tetley's "Le sacre". But I fear the audiences who adore the classics as presented by Nureyev will be disappointed by the schedule. "Symphony in C" is one of my favorite anti-depression Balanchine works. I wonder who will stage it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really like Tetley's "Le sacre". But I fear the audiences who adore the classics as presented by Nureyev will be disappointed by the schedule. "Symphony in C" is one of my favorite anti-depression Balanchine works. I wonder who will stage it?

I agree about the Tetley Sacre -- I've got several productions to that score that I love, and it's one of them.

And yes, there's something brisk about the Bizet that always makes me stand up straight.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

La Scala should never drop EXCELSIOR, its very own 19th-C treasure, from the rep. Anybody with a love of grand designs (sets/costumes), toe-tapping scores and old-fashioned choreography with a positive message will adore this ballet. It's on my top 10 lifetime ballets, along with the Mariinsky 1890 BEAUTY, Ratmansky's SWAN LAKE, Ashton's SYLVIA, La Scala RAYMONDA, Paris PAQUITA, Bolshoi's CORSAIRE & COPPELIA. Throw in a couple of the best Bournonvilles, for good measure. The Golden Horde of Classical Ballet! No El Cheapos here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...