Claudio Coviello is promoted to primo ballerino at La Scala
21-year-old Claudio Coviello, who famously stepped in at the last minute to replace Ivan Vasiliev, has been named primo ballerino (principal) after yesterday’s performance as Albrecht in Giselle.
Born in Potenza, Coviello received his ballet training at the school of the Rome Opera Ballet and was quickly snapped up by the company at Milan‘s La Scala in 2010.
He was awarded Danza & Danza’s Best New Artist in 2011 and promoted to soloist at La Scala just last year.
Two months ago, after having played Quasimodo in Roland Petit‘s Notre-Dame de Paris for the afternoon matinée, he found himself onstage again a couple of hours later to substitute Vasiliev who was injured half an hour before curtain up. Coviello rose to the occasion magnificently, and the groans from the audience when Vasiliev’s cancellation was announced soon turned into cheers for the young Coviello.
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
Good news! I was at La Scala to see Vasiliev when the young Coviello heroically stepped in. Yes I had come a long way, and yes I do love Vasiliev, but Coviello was great and so my initial disappointment was soon brushed aside! Bravo.
Bravissimo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Una nomina meritatissima. Bravo Claudio.
Claudio, vous êtes magnifique et terriblement beau ! Je vous aime beaucoup ( ainsi que tous mes amis de Paris ) Je vous souhaite de tout coeur une merveilleuse carrière ! Alain (Irololo Ahah )