This set of three films provides an outstanding showcase for the artistry of dancer Roberto Bolle, a ballet star of our own time. For the 75th anniversary celebrations of The Royal Ballet, Frederick Ashton’s Sylvia was restored to the splendour of its elegant and opulent three-act form. Casting Bolle as Aminta alongside Darcey Bussell in the title role, this is a wonderful showcase for virtuosity, invention and classical beauty. By contrast Roland Petit’s Notre-Dame de Paris exudes modernity, with its cool choreography and chic costumes by Yves Saint-Laurent. Here Bolle’s tragic Quasimodo, by turns fierce and tender, dances opposite Natalia Osipova as Esmeralda. In a second production from La Scala, the Ballet Corp’s traditional Grand Gala aligns with Milan’s tenure as host city of EXPO 2015, and Roberto Bolle, as one of La Scala’s étoiles, plays a central role in the stunning programme of excerpts. He performs the pas de deux from yet another Petit masterwork, dancing Don José to Polina Semionova’s Carmen, along with the mesmerizing contemporary solo Prototype.
Sylvia (The Royal Ballet)
Sylvia - Darcey Bussell
Aminta - Roberto Bolle
Orion - Thiago Soares
Eros Martin Harvey
Diana - Mara Galeazzi
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Conductor - Graham Bond
Director - Frederick Ashton
Composer - Léo Delibes
Notre-Dame de Paris (Teatro alla Scala Ballet)
Esmeralda - Natalia Osipova
Quasimodo - Roberto Bolle
Phoebus - Eris Nezha
Frollo - Mick Zeni
Orchestra of Teatro alla Scala
Conductor - Paul Connelly
Choreographer - Roland Petit
Composer - Maurice Jarre
Gala des Étoiles (Teatro alla Scala Ballet)
Featuring performances by Svetlana Zakharova, Roberto Bolle, Massimo Murru, Nicoletta Manni, Claudio Coviello, Mick Zeni, Maria Eichwald, Mellisa Hamilton, Lucia Lacarra, Polina Seminova and more
Orchestra of Teatro alla Scala
Conductor - David Coleman