Homage to Pierre Lacotte at La Scala and the Opera House

The Opera di Roma is set to bring two historic ballets back to the stage, with the rare creation of choreographer Pierre Lacotte taking centre stage. The Roman troupe will dust off the three-act and six-scene ballet "Marco Spada" by Daniel François Esprit Auber, reconstructing the historic production of 1981 that bore Lacotte's signature for choreography, sets, and costumes.

Simultaneously, at La Scala, "Paquita" will be presented as a tribute to Pierre Lacotte and his work for the rebirth of the historic title. The ballet showcases the lively, vivacious, and virtuosic side of the nineteenth-century choreography, with Luisa Spinatelli's production returning to the surroundings of Saragossa after 25 years from the French premiere.

In "Marco Spada," the Corps de Ballet of the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, guided by Eleonora Abbagnato, will reinforce the tribute to Pierre Lacotte and French dance. Over two hundred costumes in the new production are of historical inspiration, with the garnet-colored bodices of the corps de ballet being particularly noteworthy. The "pas de trois" of the first act and the "Grand pas" of the second act are delivered vigorously by the Scaligeri, but some synchronisms need improvement.

In the "Paquita" production at La Scala, David Coleman is responsible for the revision and completion of the music, while the sets and costumes are by Luisa Spinatelli. The ballet respects the aesthetics of dance from two centuries ago but is adapted for the dancers of the present time. Nicoletta Manni, the first ballerina "étoile" of the theater, is engaged in the title role of "Paquita" and has shown agility, temper, and technical polish.

Guest artists for the performances of "Marco Spada" include Igor' Cvirko, Principal dancer of the Bolshoi in Moscow, and Iana Salenko, Principal Guest at the Staatsballet in Berlin. The specific names of dancers and their roles in the October 2025 revival of "Marco Spada" by the Ballet of Teatro dell'Opera di Roma under Eleonora Abbagnato's direction are not detailed in the search results. The performances are scheduled from October 18 to 31, 2025, at Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, but no cast list with dancer names or roles was found in the available sources.

Jean-Guillaume Bart and Gil Isoart are the Professeurs du Ballet de l'Opéra de Paris at La Scala. Nicola Del Freo's technique is solid in the role of Lucien d'Hervilly, but his "port de bras" needs to be softened. The production at La Scala adopts the distinctive stylistic figure of the painted scene painting tradition.

These productions promise to be a delightful journey into the past, preserving the essence of historic dance while adapting it for the dancers of today. Catch them live at Teatro dell'Opera di Roma and La Scala next October.