Giuseppe Picone has been appointed the new Director of the Ballet Company of the prestigious Teatro San Carlo in Naples. A panel consisting of Anna Razzi, Mauricio Weinrot and Eric Vu-An chose Picone who, by elegant coincidence, was born in Naples. A homecoming.
40-year-old Picone seems precisely at the right point in his career to assume such a position after his years as principal dancer with the English National Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. The fact that the post is also in his hometown is a wonderful serendipity.
I asked him what it meant.
It is such a pleasure to be able to direct the corps de ballet of Teatro San Carlo. I was born in Naples and I took my first steps in this, the most beautiful theatre in the world.
So what are his plans?
Without doubt I will aim towards a high quality of work and move the theatre to have a higher national and international profile. I'm going home!!!
END
Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano') about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.
His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman's Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia' column for Dancing Times magazine.
Marvelous coincidence! His name, work and stature will bring attention to Teatro San Carlo in Naples. I’ll be following this development with great interest.
Many congratulations Giuseppe!