MARTINA ARDUINO

We all have an inner critic

According to La Scala’s first soloist, sometimes it’s necessary to turn down the volume on it. Here, she explains why and opens up about her personal challenges, her approach to pain, and the darker side of life under the stage lights. Martina Arduino shares the sacrifices, inspirations, and drive that shape her as an artist: “Not fully liking myself all the time has pushed me to improve.”

By Alessandro BIZZOTTO

Martina Arduino in David Dawson’s Anima Animus © Brescia – Amisano

These are busy weeks for Martina Arduino. Fresh from her double debut as the Mauve Girl and Green Girl in Jerome Robbins’ Dances at a Gathering, she is now preparing to revisit a challenging milestone of the classical repertoire: Clara in Nureyev’s technically demanding The Nutcracker. Yet, as we meet on a still-sunny Milan afternoon, Arduino appears composed, projecting a calm professionalism balanced with enthusiasm and restraint.

Martina Arduino in Robbins‘ Dances at a Gathering with Darius Gramada © Brescia – Amisano