Tributes to Pierre Lacotte at La Scala and the Rome Opera House

Recovering manuscripts, notations, scores, transcriptions and accounts of the period, dusting off memories, remaking lost choreography segments: these are some of the traits that the dancer and choreographer Pierre Lacotte adopted in 2001 in his project to stage the ancient 1846 ballet for the Opéra de Paris. A title, that of "Paquita", capable of revealing the lively, vivacious and virtuoso side of the 19th century choreography, here reworked respecting the aesthetics of the dance of two centuries ago but adapted to the dancers of the present era, as if observing a peculiar and inescapable practice of the historical development of the art of Tersicore.

Today the work arrives for the first time at La Scala in a new production with sets and costumes by Luisa Spinatelli, who returns to the surroundings of Zaragoza twenty-five years after the French premiere, redesigning a harmonious staging entirely created by the La Scala workers, adopting her distinctive stylistic signature of the painted scene tradition. More than two hundred historically inspired costumes were made in perfect correspondence with the figurines of the time of creation: irresistible, in particular, the garnet-coloured bodices of the corps de ballet.

Jean-Guillaume Bart and Gil Isoart are the two Professeurs du Ballet de l'Opéra de Paris entrusted with the choreographic revival here at La Scala, who are also grappling with the arduous attempt to dust off certain cornerstones of the French style, which the Piermarini "troupe" validly assimilates. From this point of view, a note of merit must be reserved for the theatre's prima ballerina "étoile" in the title role. Right from the first performance, Nicoletta Manni showed ease, temperament and technical polish, managing to provide convincing traits even in the mimic actions of the first act despite the opera's thin dramaturgical profile. Nicola Del Freo's technique is solid in the role of Lucien d'Hervilly although the port de bras remains to be refined.

A real delicacy are the "pas de trois" of the first act and the "Grand pas" of the second act that the La Scala company vigorously delivers, quickly archiving some not always excellent synchronisms of the first segments of the ballet. An unmissable event and a real treat for ballet aficionados is this "Paquita" presented as a tribute to Pierre Lacotte and his work on the revival of the historic title to music by Deldevez and Minkus, here entrusted to the revision and completion of David Coleman.

It will be the Corps de Ballet of the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, led by Eleonora Abbagnato, that will corroborate the tribute to Pierre Lacotte and French dance next October. For seven performances, the Capitoline "troupe" will dust off the ballet in three acts and six scenes "Marco Spada" by Daniel François Esprit Auber, reconstructing the historic 1981 production that bore Pierre Lacotte's signature for choreography, sets and costumes. A return, therefore, to that historic Roman production with the unforgettable presence of Rudolf Nureyev, which also landed at the Opéra de Paris three years later. Today, the Rome Opera - with orchestra, 'étoiles', prima ballerini, soloists, corps de ballet and dance school students - will bring Lacotte's extremely rare creation back to the stage. There will be guest artists for the occasion: alternating in the various performances will be Igor' Cvirko, Principal dancer at the Bolshoi in Moscow, and Iana Salenko, Principal Guest at the Staatsballet in Berlin.