After the Bolshoi, Jacopo Tissi joins Dutch National Ballet

Jacopo Tissi has been offered a contract as principal dancer with the Dutch National Ballet (Het Nationale Ballet) in Amsterdam. He left the same position at the Bolshoi Theatre in 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine. He will be joining two other dancers who left Russia at the same time: Olga Smirnova from St Peterburg, who was also a principal at the Bolshoi, and Brazilian dancer Victor Caixeta who was a soloist with the Mariinsky Theatre who joined the Dutch National Ballet as a soloist and was promoted to principal dancer in April this year.

During the past season, Tissi has been guesting at La Scala and other Italian theatres but has decided to accept a permanent position in Amsterdam for the coming season. His debut will be on 12 October as Albrecht in Giselle with his Bolshoi colleague Smirnova in the title role.

I have always followed the Dutch National Ballet with great interest – he said. It is a world-renowned company with a wide repertoire that includes both classical ballets and contemporary works. I greatly admire its resident choreographer Hans Van Manen and the legacy of his ballets. The working environment is very important for a dancer, and I have had the opportunity to see how efficient, structured and organised this company is.

After my important experience at the Bolshoi, and a very productive period last season, I wanted to join the Dutch National Ballet to pursue my artistic career. I am convinced that it is the right place for me to continue to grow as an artist and as a person.

Ted Branson, the company’s director, said,

Jacopo Tissi is a fantastic dancer, one of the most promising right now. He has an impressive physicality, a very strong technique, a deep musical understanding and a natural stage presence. I have known Jacopo for some years and I am delighted that he has chosen to make Amsterdam his new home after leaving the Bolshoi Ballet. I look forward to working with him.

Gramilano Editor

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.