Accademia Teatro alla Scala. Cenerentola. ©Rosa Arcelloni.
First event of the project Viaggio nel repertorio del balletto, curated and led by dance journalist and critic Francesca Pedroni, in collaboration with the Accademia Teatro alla Scala.
The project Viaggio nel repertorio del balletto (A Journey Through the Ballet Repertoire), promoted by Centro Coreografico Nazionale Aterballetto and curated by dance journalist and critic Francesca Pedroni, embarks on a series of performance-talks. Hosted at the Fonderia in Reggio Emilia, the events feature guest artists—dancers and maîtres from Italy’s leading ballet companies—and aim to offer a behind-the-scenes look at the preparation of exemplary works from the great ballet seasons. A prologue to the project is today’s event with the Accademia Teatro alla Scala, which—together with Ballet School teacher Walter Madau and several upper-year students—explores the value of repertoire as a fundamental training ground.
Each event explores ballet repertoire and the technique of classical-academic dance, highlighting its connections with costume design, set design, and music—from the first rehearsals to the actual performance.
The first event features the Accademia Teatro alla Scala, presenting:
VARIAZIONE DI CENERENTOLA
From CENERENTOLA by Frédéric Olivieri
Music by Sergei Prokofiev
Student: Maria Vittoria Bandini
NEW SLEEP (DUET) by William Forsythe
Music by Thom Willems
Students: Sienna Bingham e Michele Forghieri
PASSO A DUE DI MATTO E GELSOMINA
From LA STRADA by Mario Pistoni
Music by Nino Rota
Students: Francesco Della Valle, Laura Farina
VARIAZIONE DI GELSOMINA
From LA STRADA by Mario Pistoni
Music by Nino Rota
Student: Laura Farina
Accademia Teatro alla Scala. Grand Tour AFAM. Lucca, gennaio 2025. ©Munari.
From CENERENTOLA by Frédéric Olivieri, set to music by Sergei Prokof’ev
Variation – Maria Vittoria Bandini
A great fairytale of ballet and the collective imagination, Cenerentola has always told the story of a dream becoming reality—thanks to the triumph of good over evil and the victory of values like kindness and generosity over envy, hypocrisy, and deceit. A beautiful lesson for the students of the Accademia Teatro alla Scala’s Ballet School, encouraging not only technical and interpretive growth on a professional level, but also a meaningful, human reflection on values central to their development as young artists.
Sergei Prokofiev, composer of the ballet’s lyrical score—which premiered at the Bolshoi Theatre in 1945—wrote:
“What I wanted to express above all in my music was the poetic love between Cinderella and the Prince: the birth and blossoming of this love, the obstacles in its path, and the fulfillment of the dream.”
He also added:
“I was eager to create a ballet that was as ‘danceable’ as possible, with a variety of dances woven into the story and offering the dancers plenty of opportunity to showcase their art.”
Commissioned by the Bracco Foundation, Frédéric Olivieri, Director of the Ballet School, created a new version of Cenerentola that fully responds to Prokofiev’s intentions—an ambitious two-act production tailored to the talent and training of the School’s young dancers. A dreamlike staging of which the School is justifiably proud, the production features hand-painted sets by Angelo Sala, specially designed costumes by Chiara Donato, and the collaboration of current and former students from the Academy’s costume-making program, together with the renowned Sartoria Brancato.
This collective work brings more than one hundred students to the stage in choreography rich with both virtuosic and expressive roles. Around the central characters of Cinderella and the Prince, the contrast between good and evil is drawn—without relying on the traditional aesthetic opposition between beauty and ugliness. The Stepmother and Stepsisters are not performed en travesti nor grotesquely made-up; it is left entirely to the dance to reveal the true nature of each character.
Francesca Pedroni
NEW SLEEP (DUET)
Choreography by William Forsythe
Music by Thom Willems
Performed by: Sienna Bingham e Michele Forghieri
New Sleep (Duet) by William Forsythe: the joyful mechanics of partnering
New Sleep (Duet) is a brilliant example of William Forsythe’s post-classical dynamism. A master of the ever-evolving language of ballet, Forsythe has transformed classical academic vocabulary into something incandescent and radically contemporary. His is a dizzying creativity in which dancers’ virtuosity is both celebrated and expanded to its fullest potential. When we met Forsythe last year in Milan for the premiere of Blake Works V at Teatro alla Scala, he offered an insight that also perfectly applies to approaching the duet New Sleep:
“People often confuse the academy—which is the set of rules, the grammar—with choreography, which is the exception. The academy clearly prescribes the steps, how they are learned one after the other, in relation to tradition and history. We, as choreographers, must find a way to show what the academy gives to dancers, helping them understand what can be done with it, and where the difference lies between the rules of the School and the exceptions of choreography.”
— William Forsythe, in Francesca Pedroni, William Forsythe – Il balletto: una gioia tra regole e formidabili eccezioni, Danza&Danza, n. 310, May–June 2023.
A beautiful challenge for such young dancers.
The duet is built around Thom Willems’ striking score—a long-time collaborator of Forsythe—filled with harsh, urban sounds that evoke a dance darting through the whir of metal machinery. The duet is a game of trust between the partners—she en pointe—a push, a hold, a release, full of off-balance movement.
The work has been restaged for the students by Forsythe dancer Noah Gelber and Kathryn Bennetts, with the support of the school’s resident teachers. Bennetts, a close collaborator of Forsythe since the late 1980s during his tenure at the Frankfurt Ballet, has long been responsible for reviving his repertoire internationally.
New Sleep (Duet) is the third Forsythe work to enter the repertoire of the Accademia’s Ballet School, following The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude—unforgettable with its sharp, acid-yellow tutus—and, in 2019, In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated, also revived by Bennetts.
“New Sleep was originally created in 1987 for the San Francisco Ballet,” explains Bennetts. “It’s a piece I adore, which I’ve revived over the years in Zurich, Antwerp, Monte Carlo. It’s a wild, surreal, strange, and fun work. As often happens with Bill (short for William), there are many elaborations and later variations. The version of the duet restaged for the School was created for a gala in 2011, specifically choreographed on Katherina Markowskaja of the Bayerisches Staatsballett in Munich, partnered with Noah Gelber. It’s based on a duet from the original but features many modifications. It has its own distinct atmosphere—it’s fresh, current, and perfectly suited for the School. It develops a beautiful partnering technique, almost like in rock & roll. And when young dancers are intelligent and talented, they’re willing to take the risk and ride the speed—there’s a constant challenge in the space.”
“Returning to the Accademia’s Ballet School is always a joy for me,” Bennetts adds. “When I came for In the Middle, I worked with Linda Giubelli, Giorgia Pasini, Daniele Bonelli—and now I see them in major companies: at La Scala, the San Carlo in Naples, in Düsseldorf. Frédéric Olivieri has shaped the School as a true preparation for professional life, giving students the habit of approaching choreography from a very young age. It’s rare—and it pays off.”
Francesca Pedroni
From LA STRADA (SUITE) by Mario Pistoni, set to music by Nino Rota
Variazione di Gelsomina – Laura Farina
Passo a due del Matto e Gelsomina – Francesco Della Valle, Laura Farina
“La strada” by Mario Pistoni. Between Fellini and dance, Gelsomina lives again in a suite of excerpts
In 1966, La strada by Mario Pistoni premiered at Teatro alla Scala. A masterpiece imbued with a poignant sense of nostalgia and fleeting, fragile moments in which happiness seems possible—yet proves to be an illusion. The music is by Nino Rota. The story is inspired by Federico Fellini’s film of the same name, with an unforgettable Giulietta Masina in the role of Gelsomina. She travels the world with Zampanò, portrayed in the film by a brutish Anthony Quinn—a rough street performer who earns his living breaking chains with the strength of his chest. The Fool, a pure and childlike soul, plays the violin and shares Gelsomina’s sensitivity. On stage in 1966, the Fool was Mario Pistoni himself, and Gelsomina was danced by Carla Fracci. In later years, the role would be interpreted by Oriella Dorella, Alessandra Ferri, and Gilda Gelati. A principal dancer at Teatro alla Scala since 1951, Pistoni danced Romeo alongside Carla Fracci’s debut as Juliet in John Cranko’s historic 1958 production. Two years later, he made his debut as a choreographer.
La strada is a narrative ballet, cinematic not only in its inspiration but also in its three-dimensional staging, with simultaneous planes of action. It tells a story of everyday poverty and shattered hopes, set in a world dear to Fellini’s imagination—the circus—and blends classical technique with modern styles ranging from tango to jazz. A richly populated ballet, it offers young students the opportunity to explore emotion and storytelling through dance.
For the Ballet School, it was decided to restage a suite of selected scenes from La strada. This task was entrusted to Guido Pistoni, Mario’s nephew, a dancer trained at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma who has previously performed in the ballet and now oversees his uncle’s repertoire.
Guido Pistoni explains: “For the Ballet School, we chose to omit the more dramatic scenes from the original ballet, such as the Fool’s death. In agreement with Maestro Olivieri, I focused on the more danced sections and the circus characters, ending the ballet with the dreamlike scene of the three Pierrots alongside Gelsomina.”
The suite begins with a group scene involving numerous student couples, including some of the youngest pupils, and of course, Zampanò (guest artist and former Scala principal dancer Mick Zeni) and Gelsomina. It opens with a festive tango. Gelsomina enters with her small drum slung around her neck, tousled short hair, and that smiling, heart-tugging expression. The suite continues with Zampanò’s act, the shooting gallery, the wedding, and a jazz dance. Zampanò’s affair with a street woman saddens Gelsomina. Her variation is one of the most moving moments in the ballet. Gelsomina then encounters many characters: musicians, the Fool—with whom she dances a poignant pas de deux that reveals the personalities of both characters—soldiers, sandwich girls, ballerinas, and the Pierrots.
“Fellini and Giulietta Masina were very fond of the ballet,” recalls Guido Pistoni. “Whenever she could, she came to see La strada. I remember one time in Rome when my uncle called her on stage at the end of the performance and asked the orchestra’s first trumpet to play Gelsomina’s theme for her. Such pathos! The students worked very well, fully focused on both the technical and interpretive aspects. During the rehearsal weeks, with the help of their teachers, I saw them grow artistically. I’m glad this Italian work has been brought back to life.”
Francesca Pedroni
FONDAZIONE ACCADEMIA TEATRO ALLA SCALA
Established as a Foundation in 2001, the Accademia Teatro alla Scala boasts over two centuries of history, thanks to the Teatro alla Scala’s long-standing commitment to education and training—dating back to 1813, the year the Ballet School was founded. Still today, it is considered one of the most prestigious institutions for the teaching of dance.
With a faculty composed of artists and professionals from Teatro alla Scala, alongside leading experts from the performing arts sector, the Academy now covers virtually all professions in the live performance industry. It offers a broad catalogue of courses organized into four departments: Music, Dance, Stagecraft, and Management. This includes training programs, advanced specialization courses, first- and second-level academic diplomas equivalent to university degrees, as well as first-level master’s programs, workshops, and summer intensives.
DANCE DEPARTMENT
The Dance Department, directed since 2003 by Frédéric Olivieri—who has also recently returned to lead the Teatro alla Scala Ballet Company—offers courses for all age groups and educational needs in the field of dance. In addition to the Ballet School, the Department includes a five-year introductory dance program designed for children aged 6 to 10, which introduces them to dance through playful and expressive activities; an advanced training course in classical and contemporary dance for dancers wishing to refine their skills across different styles and choreographic methods; and first- and second-level academic programs aimed at training highly qualified classical dance teachers.
At the heart of the Department lies the Ballet School. Founded in 1813 by Francesco Benedetto Ricci, it has been led over the years by renowned ballerinas and distinguished masters, and has trained dancers of the highest calibre. Just a few names: Carla Fracci, Liliana Cosi, Luciana Savignano, Oriella Dorella, Roberto Bolle, Nicoletta Manni. Structured as an eight-year program, the School awards a diploma with a dual specialization in classical-academic dance and modern-contemporary dance—responding to the needs of international companies that now demand dancers proficient in an increasingly broad and diverse repertoire.
During their training, students take part in various productions of the Teatro alla Scala season and perform on important stages in Italy and abroad. A key element in their artistic development is the opportunity to interpret iconic choreographies by past and present masters such as Marius Petipa, August Bournonville, George Balanchine, Maurice Béjart, Anton Dolin, Mario Pistoni, Mauro Bigonzetti, Mats Ek, William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, José Limón, Roland Petit, Angelin Preljocaj, and Demis Volpi.
Additionally, works have been created specifically for the Ballet School by choreographers such as Davide Bombana, Shantala Shivalingappa, Matteo Levaggi, Emanuela Tagliavia, and Valentino Zucchetti.
Also worth noting are the new choreographic versions of major repertoire titles signed by Frédéric Olivieri, including Lo schiaccianoci, Cenerentola (commissioned by the Bracco Foundation), and La fille mal gardée.
Dance critic for the newspaper Il manifesto and the magazine Danza&Danza. For the television channel Classica HD (formerly Sky Classica, channel 124), she worked as writer and director of the series Danza in Scena, producing over 70 documentaries dedicated to artists such as William Forsythe, Pina Bausch, and Alessandra Ferri. For cinema, she wrote and directed the docufilm Roberto Bolle. L’arte della Danza, produced by Classica and Artedanza srl. She curated the DVD collection I capolavori della danza, published by Classica HD in collaboration with Corriere della Sera. Since 2000, she has taught Dance History at the Accademia Teatro alla Scala and leads ballet talks for the Teatro alla Scala’s Under30/35 subscription program.
TICKETS
6 euros
PURCHASING TICKETS
- ONLINE: https://www.biglietteriafonderia39.it/home.aspx
- Fonderia Box Office: the box office opens 30 minutes before the start of the performance (Via della Costituzione 39, Reggio Emilia).
Tickets are unnumbered.
CONTACTS FOR RESERVATIONS
Phone & WhatsApp: 3341023554
Email biglietteria@aterballetto.it
