Roberto Bolle dances Apollo as La Scala pairs Balanchine with Pina Bausch’s Le Sacre du printemps

Teatro alla Scala in Milan is set to present a distinct ballet program this November that juxtaposes two monumental 20th-century works set to Stravinsky’s music, offering audiences a rare encounter with contrasting choreographic legacies. The bill combines George Balanchine’s Apollo, a ballet synonymous with neoclassical refinement, and Pina Bausch’s visceral interpretation of Le Sacre du printemps, marking its first staging at La Scala.

Apollo, which opens the program, is emblematic of Balanchine’s early collaboration with Stravinsky, dating back to its 1928 premiere when the choreographer was just 24 years old. The production at La Scala features a full restaging overseen by Sandra Jennings, a former principal dancer of the New York City Ballet who worked closely with Balanchine. She has reinstated the rarely performed prologue depicting Apollo’s birth, aiming to restore the ballet’s original narrative depth often omitted in contemporary renditions.

Roberto Bolle, a principal dancer of international acclaim, will assume the title role on multiple dates throughout the run, bringing his longstanding association with Apollo to this fresh restaging. The ballet’s choreography is noted for its disciplined elegance and clarity, qualities Balanchine himself reflected upon as foundational to his artistic evolution. The director of La Scala’s ballet company, Frédéric Olivieri, highlights the ballet’s linear precision as a counterpoint to the raw energy presented in the evening’s second piece.

In stark contrast, the second half features Pina Bausch’s Le Sacre du printemps, a landmark of contemporary dance known for its intense emotional expression and ritualistic power. This production is the result of a collaboration with the Pina Bausch Foundation, with Josephine Ann Endicott, a longtime member of Tanztheater Wuppertal, directing the restaging. Endicott brings decades of experience from her time performing under Bausch’s direct guidance, ensuring fidelity to the original’s groundbreaking physical and theatrical demands.

Bausch’s Sacre challenges traditional ballet aesthetics by eschewing classical technique for a more grounded, authentic movement vocabulary. This approach demands that dancers shed conventional norms of appearance and performance, focusing instead on natural physicality and genuine presence. Endicott also personally selected the dancer to portray the Chosen One, a role that culminates in a taxing solo symbolizing total surrender and exhaustion, emblematic of the piece’s thematic intensity.

The juxtaposition of Balanchine and Bausch under the unifying element of Stravinsky’s music provides a compelling exploration of dance’s expressive range—from the refined abstraction of neoclassical ballet to the primal immediacy of modern dance theater. This program underscores La Scala’s commitment to showcasing works that have shaped the evolution of dance in the 20th century, while also offering a rare opportunity for Milanese audiences to experience Bausch’s transformative vision within the historic opera house’s context.

Performances will run from early to late November, conducted by Ido Arad. With Bolle’s celebrated return to Apollo and the debut of Le Sacre du printemps on La Scala’s stage, this season promises a dynamic dialogue between two seminal choreographic voices, linked by Stravinsky’s enduring compositions.

Details on ticket availability and performance schedules are accessible through La Scala’s official channels. This season’s initiative not only celebrates Stravinsky’s musical genius but also highlights the enduring impact of Balanchine and Bausch on contemporary dance aesthetics and theatrical expression.