Roberto Bolle and Friends
A true ballet spectacle, Roberto Bolle and Friends is part of one of Rome's premier summer events, the Caracalla Festival, which takes place this season at the Circo Massimo due to renovation works at the festival's usual venue, the Terme di Caracalla. The dance extravaganza has been touring since its inception in 2000, and stars the Italian dance sensation, Roberto Bolle. Not only is Bolle an expert dancer and choreographer but his ensemble production features many of the best-loved numbers from ballet, including breathtaking solo dances, pas de deux ballet masterpieces and more besides. Roberto Bolle and Friends at Rome's Circo Massimo, the city's ancient chariot racing venue, provides audience goers with a cleverly curated series of dances in a one-off performance that distils the beauty and magic of ballet.
The gala's success is not only due to the undisputed fact that Bolle is not only an internationally acclaimed ballet star, but also a true showman. As the gala’s Artistic Director, the Italian, who began studying at the Ballet School of La Scala Theatre in Milan at the age of 12, is the driving creative force behind the spectacle. His vision is augmented by a host of other talented dancers who accompany him on stage. Together, they are capable of not only entertaining audiences but also captivating them, something that they have been doing successfully for years. The performance is broken down into numbers that do away with some of the stricter traditions that are often associated with the classical ballet format. As such, Bolle's vision for his spectacles has helped to bring the art form into the consciousness of many mainstream theatregoers. Audiences can expect excerpts from great classics as well as more innovative choreographies which range from light-hearted and emotive works to deeply dramatic ones.
Roberto Bolle and Friends, with its unique programme, can be described as a ballet variety spectacle. When designing the format for the programme, Bolle has always drawn on his extensive international experience as a ballet performer. In the past, he has performed many of the most coveted male roles in classical ballet. His previous tenures include prestigious roles at numerous highly regarded ensembles, including The Royal Opera House in London, The Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg and The Metropolitan Opera in New York City, among others.
Since it began touring, the gala Roberto Bolle and Friends has been performed in many illustrious locations. Among them are the Coliseum in Rome, Milan's Duomo Square, the Plebiscito Square in Naples and Venice's San Marco Square. Internationally, the ballet spectacle has been staged in Turkey, the USA, China, Japan and elsewhere. The Circo Massimo in Rome is an excellent venue to witness such a remarkable ballet extravaganza as part of the wider Caracalla Festival event in the Eternal City.