Eleonora Abbagnato brings her Icone della Danza gala to Rome Opera

The acclaimed ballet gala Icone della Danza, curated and directed by Eleonora Abbagnato, will make its Italian premiere at Rome’s Teatro dell’Opera on October 26, 2026. Following a successful debut in Paris, this event assembles a stellar ensemble of internationally renowned dancers, showcasing the diversity and virtuosity present in today’s classical and contemporary ballet scenes.

Eleonora Abbagnato, who balances her career as an étoile at the Paris Opera with her leadership as director of the Rome Opera Ballet and its affiliated ballet school, has crafted a program designed to highlight the emotional and artistic power of dance. Her vision for the gala is rooted in uniting premier artists from leading companies worldwide on a single stage to offer audiences an immersive experience in the art form’s beauty and intensity.

The evening’s lineup features an array of celebrated dancers, including names such as Victor Caixeta, Matthew Golding, Osiel Gouneo, Lucia Lacarra, Maia Makhateli, Nicoletta Manni, Paul Marque, Sae Eun Park, Giorgi Potskhishvili, Iana Salenko, and Daniil Simkin. This diverse roster reflects a broad spectrum of styles and interpretations, from classical masterpieces to contemporary works.

Opening the program, Abbagnato performs Roland Petit’s La rose malade, accompanied by Giacomo Castellana, with music from Mahler’s Fifth Symphony underscoring the piece’s poignant mood. Throughout the event, she also appears in John Neumeier’s La Dame aux camélias alongside Osiel Gouneo and in the pas de deux from Angelin Preljocaj’s Le Parc with Paul Marque, demonstrating her adaptability across choreographic voices and musical eras.

The gala concludes with a performance of Petit’s Cheek to Cheek, a number closely linked to Abbagnato’s artistic lineage, as she studied it under the tutelage of Zizi Jeanmaire, the legendary muse of Roland Petit. This closing act carries personal significance, bridging past and present traditions within the ballet world.

Other program highlights include Victor Caixeta and Maia Makhateli presenting selections from Balanchine’s Diamonds and the iconic balcony pas de deux from Leonid Lavrovsky’s Romeo and Juliet. Nicoletta Manni and Paul Marque deliver the Grand Pas Classique, with Manni also performing the solo from Béjart’s La Luna. Daniil Simkin partners with Iana Salenko for the Le Corsaire pas de deux, while Salenko teams with Giorgi Potskhishvili for the Flames of Paris pas de deux.

The event also incorporates contemporary choreography, with Lucia Lacarra and Matthew Golding featuring in Edwaard Liang’s Finding Light and Christopher Wheeldon’s After the Rain, highlighting the gala’s commitment to a wide-ranging ballet repertoire. Simkin’s solo in Ben Van Cauwenbergh’s Les Bourgeois, set to music by Jacques Brel, adds a distinct contemporary flavor.

The presence of such a rich and varied program underlines Abbagnato’s ambition to celebrate ballet’s multifaceted nature, combining classical heritage with modern innovations. Her dual role in Paris and Rome positions her uniquely to foster cross-cultural artistic exchange, making this gala not only a performance but a statement on the vitality of ballet as a global art form.

Icone della Danza is presented in partnership with Enpi Entertainment and promises to be a significant occasion in Italy’s cultural calendar, inviting audiences to witness some of the finest talents from the international dance community. Tickets are available through various official outlets, reflecting the event’s prominence within the performing arts sector.

The gala’s arrival in Rome extends Abbagnato’s influence beyond her home stage, reinforcing the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma’s status as a hub for world-class dance. This production stands as a testament to her artistic vision and commitment to nurturing ballet’s future while honoring its storied past.