Dance, from Forsythe to Kratz, Contemporary Evening at La Scala

The Scala Corps de Ballet is ready for the new appointment, on 7 and 8 July, with the ‘Contemporary Evening’, which will welcome dance lovers with a rich program, which brings together seven prominent names of international choreography, with five Scala debuts. and a world premiere. The evening sees the great return to the bill of the name of William Forsythe – for the first time the ballet della Scala will present The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude – the resumption of the final trio of SENTieri by Philippe Kratz, and five authors who have never before brought their signature and their works to our stage. Krzysztof Pastor, David Dawson, Patrick de Bana, Natalia Horecna and Simone Valastro united in the sign of a contemporary language that draws its roots from the classic and the great masters of the twentieth century and stands out for its originality, sensitivity and musical taste. Therefore, news for the public and for the corps de ballet, which immersed itself in the style of illustrious choreographers that Manuel Legris wanted to involve in this program to combine the great titles of the repertoire with the opening to contemporary signatures that animate the international scene. which will deepen further in the course of the new ballet season. To Natalia Horecna Manuel Legris has entrusted a new work, born in the dance halls with the artists of La Scala. Dancer with the Hamburg Ballett, Nederlands Dance Theater, Scapino Ballet and now a free lance choreographer, Horecna has already stood out on the international scene, collaborating with important artists and companies and with equally important awards. The title of his creation, for which he also signs sets and costumes, is Birds walking on water to music by Arvo Pärt (Darf ich …), Jean Sibelius (the second and third movements of the Concerto for violin and orchestra op. 47) and Vladimir Martynov (Come in!, First movement). It sees three main couples involved, five couples and Mick Zeni, who acts as the leader of the group, with whom Horecna has worked, treasuring his artistry and the experience of a long and rich professional career which has reached its peak. Next to him Antonella Albano with Massimo Garon, Chiara Fiandra with Edoardo Caporaletti, Marta Gerani with Gioacchino Starace, and again Denise Gazzo, Giulia Schembri, Linda Giubelli, Camilla Cerulli, Serena Sarnataro, Francesco Mascia, Andrea Crescenzi, Domenico Di Cristo, Eugenio Lepera , Marco Messina. A great return, after more than ten years, the signature of William Forsythe – the undisputed value of his reflection and artistic revolution – with The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude, created for the Frankfurt Ballet in 1996, for the first time at La Scala with Martina Arduino, Agnese Di Clemente, Gaia Andreanò, Marco Agostino, Nicola Del Freo, on the music of the last movement of the Symphony n. 9 by Franz Schubert on the Berceuse op. 57 by Chopin, performed live by Marcelo Spaccarotella, Alessandra Vassallo, Christian Fagetti, Andrea Risso return to the scene in the final trio by SENTieri, created for Aterballetto in 2014 by Philippe Kratz, one of the best new choreographers for the originality of his work, with a very personal style. With this excerpt Manuel Legris invited the young and talented choreographer to La Scala for the first time, who is preparing to return next season with a creation on electronic sounds by Thom Yorke and Radiohead. Solos and double passes of great impact will alternate in the other signatures of this evening. With the double step Tristan and Isolde from his production Tristan Krzysztof Pastor, acclaimed personality in the world of dance and director of the Polish National Ballet, and with about seventy creations in prestigious companies all over the world, brings the passion to the stage and the tragic intensity of a love story, enhanced by Wagner’s music, starring Nicoletta Manni and Timofej Andrijashenko. Based on a selection of preludes from Johann Sebastian Bach’s The Well Tempered Harpsichord David Dawson created A sweet spell of oblivion for the Royal Ballet of Flanders in 2007. At La Scala the double step from this work, interpreted by Virna Toppi and Gabriele Corrado will show for the first time the stylistic code of the award-winning British choreographer who in the new season will be among the protagonists, with Anima Animus, of the evening / triptych Dawson / Kratz / Kylián. The charm of baroque music also permeates the intensity of The labirinth of solitude, a solo of great expressive force created by Patrick de Bana for Ivan Vasiliev in 2011 on the Chaconne in G min. by Tomaso Antonio Vitali and who will see Mattia Semperboni on stage at La Scala. Principal at the Béjart Ballet and at the Compañia Nacional de Danza with Nacho Duato, de Bana is one of the most interesting authors of the contemporary scene, with a unique personality, eclectic like his background, he has worked with great names in choreography and created all over the world and with great performers. New choreographic lifeblood of our time, which also brings the talent of Simone Valastro to La Scala for the first time, from Milan, graduated from the Ballet School of the Teatro La Scala already a dancer at the Opéra de Paris, his choreographic career saw him at the ‘Opéra Bastille, Opéra Garnier, Ravello Festival, Granada Festival, in 2020 at the Bol’šoj Theater, with a world premiere and at the Rome Opera in 2021. Alla Scala presents Árbakkinn, step by step created in 2019 for Laetitia Pujol and Alessio Carbone on the homonymous composition by Ólafur Arnalds, one of the most famous Icelandic composers of the current scene, which incorporates the text of the poet and teacher Einar Georg Einarsson recited by his own voice, and which will see alternating two cast, Antonella Albano with Massimo Garon and Emanuela Montanari with Gioacchino Starace. Serata Contemporanea is the first ballet production that will welcome the public also in the stalls. The passage in Lombardy in the white zone has removed the roof of 500 spectators for the theaters, while the obligation to maintain the distance and wear the mask remain in force. 760 seats will therefore be on sale between stalls, boxes and galleries. The new structure is conditional on the Region remaining in the white zone.