History of La Scala Ballet

The history of the illustrious Teatro alla Scala Ballet Company is interwoven with the birth of ballet itself, tracing its heritage back to the Renaissance courts of Milan.

Throughout the centuries until today, it has been associated with the greatest choreographers and dancers including the legendary Maria Taglioni who made her debut at La Scala in 1841.

Dancers of La Scala were a major force in the creation of the Mariinsky Ballet in St. Petersburg, in particular the great dancer and teacher Enrico Cecchetti who was Director of La Scala from 1925-1928.

It was he who brought the Italian style of teaching into Russia and was highly influential in the creation of Diaghilev's Ballet Russes. 

 

Between 1968 and 1990, Rudolf Nureyev's close bond with La Scala, both as dancer and choreographer, brought tremendous advances in classical ballet technique into the Company.

Nureyev choreographed many new and important productions for La Scala.

His visionary staging of The Sleeping Beauty remains one of the greatest in the ballet repertoire.

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