L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 2014 www.italoamericano.com 2 Roberto Bolle: from La Scala to the American Ballet Theater Continued from page 1 1996, his appearance as Romeo earned him the promotion to Principal Dancer at La Scala Theater, followed by his partici- pation in many international pro- ductions. Among them was a special version of Swan Lake designed by the English National Ballet Director, Derek Deane, and performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London in the presence of the royal family. The young Italian artist also danced in Aida, staged in Cairo for the first time in 50 years, with the suggestive Giza pyra- mids in the background. As his popularity continued to grow, Roberto Bolle was invited to perform in some of the world's most prestigious loca- tions, like the Covent Garden Opera House in London, the Bol'šoj Theater in Moscow, the Opéra in Paris, and the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. In 2002, he danced in Buckingham Palace on the occasion of Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee, and in 2004 in St. Peter's square in the presence of Pope John Paul II. Since 2008, his famous sum- mer tour, "Roberto Bolle & Friends", has become a highly anticipated event for dance lovers and the curious beyond Italy's borders, taking place in unusual locations such as the Arena in Verona, where it marked a return of ballet after almost 20 years and was attend- ed by tens of thousands of peo- ple. Last year, the Gala was also held in New York City as part of the celebrations "2013 – Year of Italian Culture in the United States." The 2014 edition is enjoying huge success, hosted July through December by some of the Italy's most exclusive venues, including the Arena in Verona, the Terme di Caracalla in Rome, and the Gran Teatro in Torre del Lago. The event brings together international first- class étoiles, including ABT stars Julie Kent and Polina Semionova, and presents a repertoire of the most beautiful ballets of the 19 th and 20 th cen- tury, from Prokofiev's Romeo & Juliet to Čajkovskij's Swan Lake to a choreography based on Frank Sinatra's music. Roberto Bolle's significant contribution to promote Italian art and culture all over the world was acknowledged by the President of the Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, who bestowed on him the honor of "Cavaliere dell'Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana" in the year 2012. Roberto is also Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF, raising money for edu- cation and health programs in Sudan, Africa. Roberto Bolle trained at the Theatre La Scala Ballet School where he was chosen by Rudolf Nureyev to dance Tadzio in Death in Venice

• Cover