Nicoletta Manni didn't expect it, and so when the superintendent of La Scala Dominique Meyer went on stage together with the director of the corps de ballet Manuel Legris and announced his appointment as étoile she burst into tears. And he continued to cry with joy even after the curtain fell .
He didn't expect it also because at La Scala until now the appointments have never been announced in front of the public, which is instead customary in foreign theaters such as the Bolshoi or the Opéra.
«In Paris we are used to doing it on stage» Legris then said.
The audience certainly appreciated the unscheduled performance at the end of the performance of Onegin choreographed by John Cranko in which she danced in the role of the protagonist Tatiana alongside Roberto Bolle. «Ladies and gentlemen, sorry if I interrupt the applause» Meyer said, thanking the orchestra, ballet company and Roberto Bolle «who is an icon of dance, a great master and, a quality that I appreciate, he is faithful to his theatre, La Scala. And I congratulate Nicoletta Manni, a special, fantastic dancer." «When a dancer has been shining like this among the stars for years, the rules can be changed. And therefore on the proposal of Manuel Legris - he added - I have the pleasure of saying that Nicoletta has the title of étoile".
Manni, 32 years old, originally from Galatina, arrived at La Scala at 12 to attend dance school . After graduating she went to the Staatsballett in Berlin, then returned to the Scala ballet company in 2013 and became prima ballerina the following year . Now the further appointment that at the moment only she and Roberto Bolle have , who was best man at her wedding this summer . And not only. In fact, it was he who helped Timofej Adrijashenko, also a principal dancer at La Scala, to organize the marriage proposal at the end of a performance of Bolle and Friends at the Verona Arena.
"I'm happy. We dreamed of it and it's a dream come true - he explained behind the stage after the show and the announcement - I know how much Nicoletta worked and I'm proud" he said. «Now I don't have many words. I am truly grateful and dazed" she added, very excited, with a thought also for Bolle who "has been by my side in the most beautiful, most difficult and exciting moments", including tonight.
(Unioneonline/vl)