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After a worldwide search, Alberta Ballet has discovered its subsequent creative director, an Italian choreographer with world expertise in each classical and modern ballet.
Coming from Australia the place he co-founded the Sydney Choreographic Centre, Francesco Ventriglia will arrive in early January in time for rehearsals of Alberta Ballet’s March and Could performances: Hansel and Gretel, adopted by Der Wolf and The Ceremony of Spring.
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“I’m thrilled and deeply honoured to affix Alberta Ballet as the subsequent creative director. Having come to know this firm, I eagerly anticipate collaborating with its remarkably proficient artists. I’m grateful for this chance to convey to fruition some unbelievable goals alongside the corporate, the place we will honour the previous whereas crafting a rare future collectively.”
Ventriglia received his begin as a dancer at La Scala in Milan, earlier than creating a various repertoire for the Ballet Faculty of La Scala, his personal firm Heliopolis and different freelance works. He has had works carried out internationally by corporations equivalent to Area di Verona, Bolshoi Theatre, the Mariinsky Ballet, Grande Théâtre du Genève, Royal New Zealand Ballet, the Nationwide Ballet of Uruguay, and on the Venice Biennale.
He was the creative director of the Royal New Zealand Ballet from 2014-17 and it was there that he created a newly staged, longer model of his work Wizard of Oz. The manufacturing toured New Zealand and was seen by over 38,000 individuals in its first season. Nicely acquired by audiences and critics alike, the manufacturing is thought to be probably the most profitable productions created for the Royal New Zealand Ballet.
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Ventriglia is well-known within the dance world as an advocate for ballet and Italian dance and has a foot in each fashionable and classical kinds.
In New Zealand, he created a brand new full-length ballet, Romeo and Juliet; Midsummer Night time’s Dream; Jago; Immemoria, a piece for 40 dancers to music by Shostakovich, and Sed lux everlasting – Transit umbra, to music by Schoenberg, for the Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève.
However he additionally embraces modern works. His personal Heliopolis Firm made its debut on the Venice Biennale in 2007, with a brand new piece Il Mare in Catena (The Sea in Chains), an investigation of eroticism and bodily incapacity, which was nominated for the Golden Lion. The next 12 months he created a brand new work, Normale, which explored the idea of affection and psychological well being.
‘Francesco brings a wealth of information and expertise, and Albertans can look ahead to a brand new chapter with extra of Alberta Ballet’s high-quality, inspirational programming,” mentioned Alberta Ballet board chair Heather Rae.
Ventrigilia replaces Christopher Anderson, who parted methods with the corporate after just one 12 months as creative director. He had been with Alberta Ballet in numerous roles since 2015 and assumed the title for the 2022-23 season after a three-year transition from longtime creative director Jean Grand-Maitre, who had helmed the ballet for 20 years.
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