Created in 2008, after 8 years of enormous successes gathered all over Italy and abroad, the by-then famous “Roberto Bolle and Friends” Gala began looking for locations that would normally be considered highly unusual for the typical ballet requirements. Locations, at this point, had become as important and peculiar to the “Roberto Bolle and Friends” appointment as the repertoire performed on stage. The gala transpired in many places, including but not limited to: The Coliseum in Rome, Duomo Square in Milan, Plebiscito Square in Naples and San Marco square in Venice. Since then, this dance show has become a flagship event touring the most prestigious venues in the world, with performances that are drawn from classical, modern and contemporary repertoires.
Renowned as the new Nureyev, international star dancer Roberto Bolle will be performing with an international cast of star dancers at this year’s Baalbeck Festival. This not-to-be-missed international event will celebrate the magnificent restoration works undertaken by the Italian government on the Bacchus temple interior and on the six columns of the temple of Jupiter classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage site.
This dance performance is organized in partnership with the Italian Embassy and the Italian Cultural Center.
ROBERTO BOLLE
Étoile Teatro alla Scala, Milan
He trained at the ballet school of Teatro alla Scala, Milan, where he was promoted Étoile in 2004. He has regularly danced as a guest artist with the most prestigious companies worldwide. He was Principal Dancer with the American Ballet Theatre in New York from 2009 to 2019. His own show Roberto Bolle and Friends Gala has overcrowded many Italian and international squares gathering tens of thousands of acclaiming people. He has taken part in movie and television projects, often conceived by him, such as the formats . This night has opened my eyes created for Sky and Danza con me, broadcast on the main Italian network, Rai1, from 2018 to 2023, and marking an incredible success with audiences and critics. Roberto has been testimonial of several commercials, award-winning and awarded the highest honours, national and international – he is, among other things, Unicef Ambassador and received the Unesco Medal. In September 2018 he received the Honor of “Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic” and in May 2021 of “Grand Officer”.
He collaborated with artists such as Bob Wilson, Peter Greenaway, Anne Leibovitz and Bruce Weber, who dedicated him the photographic book “An Athlete in Tights”. He is the creator and artistic director of the dance festival OnDance which is now at the sixth edition in Milan: through a busy calendar of workshops, open classes, flash mobs and shows, he makes the whole city dancing.
