Lacotte’s „Paquita“ debuts in Milan

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by Alessandro BIZZOTTO

Pierre Lacotte’s reconstruction of Paquita, first performed at the Paris Opera Ballet in 2001, makes its Milanese debut. Drawing on Joseph Mazilier’s original choreography alongside Marius Petipa’s later contributions, and featuring Luisa Spinatelli’s 2001 costumes, this production joins La Scala Ballet’s repertoire with a series of performances that seem to herald the arrival of summer.

Striking a balance between historical accuracy and practical staging, this Paquita offers a rare insight into a work seldom seen in its original form.

Selected for La Scala’s repertoire by former ballet director Manuel Legris – who recently left La Scala and himself danced the male lead in Paris during his time as an étoile – the ballet is set in flamboyant Spain. It evokes the vibrant colours, scents and spirit of 19th-century romanticism, immersing audiences in an exotic atmosphere characteristic of the period’s fascination with southern Europe.