Roberto Bolle and Friends - Verona

[JennyTaylor]

This week, I realised an ambition to attending the Roberto Bolle and Friends production in the Arena at Verona – and it was well worth it!  Stunning venue and some equally stunning performances, particularly by Roberto Bolle himself.  How does he do it!  The body strength, flexibility and of course, the artistry. He performed in 6 of the 11 pieces, including the extraordinary Prometheus to climax the evening.

 

Casting and pieces being performed are announced quite late and I found it difficult to discover the full repertoire but here it is.

 

Giorgi Potskhishvil: Principal Dancer with Netherlands National Opera Ballet

António Casalinho: First soloist with the Bavarian State Ballet

Margarita Fernandes; soloist with the Bavarian State Ballet

Nicoletta Manni: Étoile at La Scala Theatre Ballet

Tatyjana Melnik: Principal of the Hungarian National ballet 

Toon Lobach: Freelance dancer

Casia Vengoechea: Freelance Artist

Melissa Hamilton: First Soloist, Royal Ballet

 

 

1)     Roberto Bolle introductory dance

2)     Esmeralda – Margarita Fernandes and António Casalinho

3)     Lightness of Being – Roberto Bolle and Melissa Hamilton

4)     DonQ -   Tatyjana Melnik and Giorgi Potskhishvil

5)     Les Indomptés – Toon Lobach and Roberto Bolle

6)     La Luna - Nicoletta Manni

7)     Qualia - Roberto Bolle and Melissa Hamilton

😎 Les Bourgeois - António Casalinho

9)     Spring Waters – Roberto Bolle and Tatyjana Melnik

10)  II - Casia Vengoechea and Toon Lobach

11)  Prometheus – Roberto Bolle
 

 

A mixture of classical and modern with some well known and other unfamiliar works for me. The blend seemed to work and both evenings and the audience was unashamedly very enthusiastic.

 

I visited the arena in the day time prior to the night performances and of course, it is stunning as a piece of architecture. Also the stage is huge which really surprised me as outdoors venues can sometimes be space limited. It’s an incredible backdrop to the performances. It’s all very organised with padded seats in the stalls.

 

I sat near the front so had a very good view of everything. I was interested to note that the audience applauded throughout the dances, if they felt like it. So particular moments were:

The Rose Adagio like balances in Esmeralda, where the ballerina rotates and holds position though just with one partner, rather than 4, multiple moments in DonQ and I have to comment on the length of time Tatyjana Melnik held her balances, Roberto and Melissa in Qualia when they extend her body to what seems to be stretching point, Spring Waters – some spectacular lifts.

 

Toon Lobach caught the eye. He is a Dutch freelance dancer and he held the stage in both his pieces. The audience loved him, as did I. Definitely someone to see if you get the opportunity.

 

The performance climaxed with a work called Prometheus which is danced to the slow movement of Beethoven’s 7th Symphony.      

 

I found this description on a Sky page

https://tg24.sky.it/spettacolo/2024/06/28/roberto-bolle-and-friends-prometheus-video

 

“The solo was conceived and created by Bolle himself with the choreographer Massimiliano Volpini.

 

At the centre of the scene is the myth of the Titan Prometheus, who stole fire from the gods to give it to men. An unthinkable and impervious challenge, which will cost him his life, but which for humanity means progress, knowledge and future.

 

To translate the myth into work is a scenography made of tubes, on which Roberto Bolle climbs, writhes, sinuous and strong, until he reaches the fire, real, which he steals from the gods to share it with men.”

  

It was incredible.

 

So, thoroughly worthwhile making the trip and some lovely sightseeing in Verona too. A lovely place to visit.

[Peanut68]

You lived my dream Jenny 💖

[FionaM]

It’s a special place to experience live performance for sure.  

[Peanut68]

My Ballet Bucket List is very very long but this is right up there! 

[Beryl H]

I would especially love to have seen Roberto Bolle in Qualia and Spring Waters!

[JennyTaylor]

2 hours ago, Beryl H said:

I would especially love to have seen Roberto Bolle in Qualia and Spring Waters!

Qualia with Melissa was amazing.  I'm not a WMG fan but these 2 were really breath-taking. Spring Waters was the only truly classical piece he attempted, and his partnering was again, superb.  It's pretty short, but they managed to show multiple lifts and bravura moves, climaxing with a one handed high lift to complete the piece.  There's loads of footage on Instagram posted by Bolle and Dancers Diary. If you have time to browse, I'm sure you can get a flavour of the whole thing.  I've seen him dance many times over the years at the ROH and La Scala with Marianela, but this exceeded my expectations by quite some margin.  

[FionaM]

Spring Waters ends with a ‘torch lift’ where the ballerina is held aloft under her bum by the male dancer’s fully extended arm.  It’s very high up there! 

[JennyTaylor]

7 hours ago, FionaM said:

Spring Waters ends with a ‘torch lift’ where the ballerina is held aloft under her bum by the male dancer’s fully extended arm.  It’s very high up there! 

That's the one!

[Amelia]

On 27/07/2024 at 21:05, JennyTaylor said:

Spring Waters was the only truly classical piece he attempted, and his partnering was again, superb.  It's pretty short, but they managed to show multiple lifts and bravura moves, climaxing with a one handed high lift to complete the piece. 

 

It is true that the man's role in this piece is mainly partnering.

Here is a recording for those who would like to see this piece. The weightless Marina Kondratieva was incomparable in “Spring Waters”. I think her partner here was Stanislav Vlasov. 
On approx. 13:15.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQX_wPDJWlQ