Triple bill axed to save COVID struck Bayadère at La Scala

Aiming to save the sold-out performances of La Bayadère, La Scala has decided to postpone the planned contemporary programme at the end of January and use those dates to insert the cancelled performances of the new production that was delayed, and then cancelled after its first performance, due to COVID outbreaks.

The victims of this change of programming are choreographers David Dawson whose 2018 piece Anima Animus was in rehearsal, and Jiří Kylián whose Bella Figura, was already in the repertoire. The programme included the world premiere of Solitude Sometimes, a new creation by Philippe Kratz, who Legris says is “a growing talent whom I appreciate for the originality and particularity of his artistic universe”. The triple bill will now be seen during the 2022—2023 season.

Economically, it was an obvious decision to make being that a contemporary programme is always a difficult sell — having a guaranteed box office success makes sense in such difficult times for theatres.

La Bayadère is now planned for 25, 26, 27, and 28 January with two performances on Saturday 29 January. It will be a testing time for the company, especially for the hard-worked women of the corps de ballet in Bayadère, who are not used to punishing daily performances.

Gramilano( Editor )

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.