The Rome Opera Ballet is
proposing the perfect recipe to successfully conclude a season
that has already been full of satisfactions: two young
passionate stars full of love, great ètoiles of the dance world,
celebrated choreographers, and the strength of two works that
come from the classic ballet repertoire.
The first is Giselle by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot with
choreography by Patricia Ruanne, from October 20-27; and the
second is Coppèlia, written and choreographed by Roland Petit,
reproposed by Luigi Bonino, from October 30-November 7.
Both works are beloved by the public, and through which the
dance troupe can show that it has become a true company, on the
same level of great international theatres as well as the
ambitions of its director Eleonora Abbagnato, the 37-year-old
Palermo-born ètoile with the Paris Opera Ballet.
For the occasion of these productions, Abbagnato called in
high-caliber stars Amandine Albisson and Mathias Heymann, also
ètoiles at the Paris Opera Ballet, as well as Claudio Colviello,
principal dancer with Milan's Teatro alla Scala Ballet.
The capital city's ballet company has for the moment
remained immune from the shockwaves over on Capitoline Hill,
where despite Mayor Ignazio Marino's recent resignation, he will
remain president of the ballet through November 2, at which time
his replacement will take over the presidency.
Certainly Giselle and Coppèlia fit well into the overall
plan for the company, however, which intends to relaunch not
only in terms of opera but also with dance, making ballet a
fundamental part of future seasons.
"Up until recently, there wasn't the intention to create a
true ballet company; now there is," Abbagnato said.
"And we're relaunching the ballet company in a critical
moment for theatre," she said, highlighting the great efforts
have been put forth by everyone involved, starting with
superintendent Carlo Fuortes ("with whom I don't always get
along," she joked), in recent months.
Efforts which, in her case, translate into giving the
company an international dimension and looking after the
youngest dancers.
"I absolutely see our talents: they are precious and I want
to keep them close by," she said.
"This summer at the last auditions at least 250 young
dancers tried out; we chose 30 very talented and very beautiful
among them. Here, the dancers can finally study well. The barre
is our morning medicine".
Despite that the road ahead is still long enough to not yet
predict certain victory, the Sicilian ètoile is convinced that
there is a good basis to begin work that is both serious and
high-quality.
"We have 80 people in our ballet company. Unfortunately
only 12 are title holders, meanwhile however we're sure that
they will work all season because there are many projects, and
some tours abroad as well," she said.
"I am stubborn and Sicilian, I want to do things with
precision, through and through, which is why, when I arrived
last July, I asked for some improvements, such as a dignified
rehearsal studio and refurbished dressing rooms, to be able to
work well".
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