Pina Bausch’s Le Sacre du printemps goes on show in photographs at La Scala

For the first time in its history, Milan’s renowned La Scala is presenting Pina Bausch’s groundbreaking ballet Le Sacre du printemps, scheduled to open on 7 November. To complement this significant event, the theatre has curated a photographic exhibition tracing the ballet’s creation and evolution, which is on display from 22 October to 22 November in the Ridotto dei Palchi, the neoclassical foyer adjacent to the main auditorium.

This production marks a milestone for La Scala, as it introduces the choreography of Pina Bausch—an influential figure in dance theatre—to its stages through the resident Corpo di Ballo. Previously, Bausch’s Tanztheater Wuppertal had performed at La Scala only once, in 1983, with the piece Kontakthof. Le Sacre du printemps, originally choreographed in 1975, is now integrated into a double bill featuring Stravinsky’s score alongside Balanchine’s Apollo, running until 21 November.

The exhibition’s venue, the Ridotto dei Palchi, holds symbolic importance, functioning as the theatre’s interval gathering space and providing a natural pathway to the Museo Teatrale alla Scala. The museum collaborated with the Pina Bausch Foundation to assemble the exhibition, which draws on previously unseen archival photographs. Curated by Ismaël Dia, the display comprises 18 panels showcasing rehearsal and performance images from 1975 to 1995, highlighting the formative two decades of the ballet’s life.

Rather than employing traditional captions, the exhibition features brief oral-history excerpts from original company members, offering insights into Bausch’s artistic rigor and the physical demands of the choreography. These testimonies reveal Bausch’s insistence on precision and the intense physicality required of dancers, underscoring the emotional and communal depth inherent in the work.

Complementing the still images, two films are shown on monitors: a rare 1978 broadcast capturing Tanztheater Wuppertal’s performance of Le Sacre du printemps, and a 1987 rehearsal footage. The latter documents a moment when Bausch, while filming Die Klage der Kaiserin, paused production to coach a late cast substitution for the Chosen One role, revealing her hands-on approach and dedication to maintaining the ballet’s integrity.

The Pina Bausch Foundation, established in 2009 by the choreographer’s son Salomon Bausch, provided the archival materials. It also maintains an online portal offering broader access to its collections. La Scala’s participation in this presentation reflects its commitment to engaging with living dance legacies and nurturing the transmission of seminal works to new generations.

This initiative not only honors Bausch’s enduring influence but also invites audiences to witness the sustained vitality of Le Sacre du printemps. Through its dual focus on performance and historical documentation, La Scala positions itself as a crucial site for both the appreciation and preservation of contemporary dance heritage.

The integration of these multimedia elements within the exhibition space creates a layered encounter, connecting viewers with the choreography’s origins and evolution. The absence of explanatory text encourages visitors to form personal interpretations through visual and testimonial impressions, capturing the ballet’s raw energy and emotional resonance.

As the Corpo di Ballo embarks on its interpretation of Bausch’s language, the exhibition serves as both a tribute and a contextual anchor, framing the ballet’s significance within the broader narrative of 20th-century dance innovation. The project acknowledges the collaborative nature of dance creation and the collective memory embodied by those who have shaped Le Sacre du printemps.

La Scala’s debut of Pina Bausch’s Le Sacre du printemps, accompanied by this unique photographic journey, offers an immersive opportunity to explore the choreography’s complexity and its profound impact on contemporary dance aesthetics.