Choreographer climbs ladder at La Scala
Print Edition
WHEN Makhar Vaziev left Italy’s storied La Scala Ballet to succeed Sergei Filin as ballet director of Bolshoi Ballet this March, it became Italian choreographer Mauro Bigonzetti’s turn to lead the 238-year-old company.
La Scala Ballet is the resident ballet company of Milan’s famed La Scala theater. In addition to its reputation as one of the world’s best classical ballet repertory companies, one thing that distinguishes La Scala from others in Italy is that most of its artists are Italians, many of whom see themselves as representatives of the country’s rich ballet legacy.
“Most of the dancers come from the academy dance school at Teatro alla Scala. Each company has its own soul and roots. Each one is different. And La Scala, as well as other large international companies, has its own recognizable identity,” said Bigonzetti.
Bigonzetti will bring two of La Scala Ballet’s most acclaimed productions to Shanghai Oriental Art Center next month. “Giselle” presents the best of La Scala Ballet’s classical repertoire, while the contemporary ballet “Cello Suites,” created by Heinz Spoerli, will showcase the company’s ability to work with diverse themes and styles.
The La Scala’s corps de ballet is considered one of the best around. In “Giselle” they’ve earned praise for their powerful and grand interpretation of the Wilis, ghostly spirits who appear in the show’s second half. They are based on beings from Slavic folklore.
During Vaziev’s eight years at La Scala Ballet, the Russian ballet veteran, who ran the Mariinsky Ballet in St. Petersburg for 13 years before joining La Scala, is credited with carrying the classical traditions of the Italian company forward, raising the technical abilities of the dancers and boosting the company’s profile on the international stage.
Bigonzetti, for his part, has choreographed some of the company’s most acclaimed recent productions, including “Caravaggio,” where he worked with Staatsballett Berlin and Vladimir Malakhov to capture the dramatic painting effects created by the show’s namesake.
He’s worked with La Scala two decades ago, and describes his relationship with the ballet company as “unique in the panorama of Italian choreography.”
For Bigonzetti, directing the traditional classic company is about striking the right balance. This means the origins and history of the company should be preserved, while also remaining open to developments in modern dance.
“La Scala Ballet should not become a contemporary company, but must instead find ways to express itself and to confront other styles and trends, but without ever losing its history, traditions, or the classical language,” explained Bigonzetti, who added that the company’s real focus should remain on “the classic and indispensable.”
It’s been only a few months since Bigonzetti took over La Scala Ballet. Immediately after the handover, he saw the potential to build upon the company’s world-leading reputation.
La Scala’s dance school has nurtured many talented young performers over recent years. It’s these dancers who have given the new director the confidence to see new opportunities and a bright future for the company.
“What I will bring to the company is energy, quality, enthusiasm, passion, love of work and possibly recognition... but I would really like to be able to increase the volume of all these qualities,” he said.
In the past, notable Italian dancers whose careers started or rose to fame at La Scala include Enrico Cecchetti, Pierina Legnani, Carla Fracci, Luciana Savignano, Alessandra Ferri and Roberto Bolle.
As a choreographer, Bigonzetti often chooses to work with Baroque music from the likes of Vivaldi, Purcell, Handel and Bach. For him, baroque music offers fertile ground for exploration and room to indulge in a passion that never ends. Next season at La Scala, Bigonzetti returns to the world of early and Baroque music to choreograph “Project Handel,” a series of ballet pieces set to chamber music that will be presented from May 20 to June 1, 2017.
La Scala Ballet in Shanghai
Giselle
Time: September 8 to 10, 7:15 pm
Tickets: 80 to 1680 yuan
Cello Suites
Time: September 11, 2 pm and 7:15 pm
Tickets: 80 to 1280 yuan
Venue: Shanghai Oriental Art Center
Address: 425 Dingxiang Rd
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