 |
   |
Roberto Bolleby Simonetta Dixon and Mandy Kent |
|||||||
|
Roberto is running late for our interview, so his manager, the charming Marco Borelli, comes to collect us to take us up to the fifth floor staff canteen on a beautiful hot summer's day. Roberto arrives looking relaxed and happy and eager to chat. Prior to this, Marco had filled us in on some background… Roberto started dancing when he was a young boy, after watching some ballet on TV one afternoon. His mother took him to his local ballet school. When they recognized his potential he was taken to audition for the La Scala school, where he was accepted and stayed for his entire training. He was taken into the company but left when he was 21 to pursue what has become a very successful freelance career, in demand all over the world for the great classical roles in particular. We begin by asking him about this…why he decided to take the immense risk of leaving a secure job in the hope of establishing a successful career with some of the world's best ballet companies; something very few dancers achieve. "It is much better for me to freelance because I can choose the productions I want to dance; I can choose when to work and when to rest. Of course I was concerned when I first left La Scala…I was a principal dancer with a good salary and a secure position, and I was very young. Luckily it has worked out, but I would have gone back if it hadn't!" As a guest principal, one is often dancing on the first night when all the critics are there, so how does Roberto cope with this pressure? "It gets worse, not better, because I am better known now, especially in Italy where I am famous and have done a lot of TV and magazine work. Audiences and critics there always expect a lot. I do thrive on the pressure to an extent, but it is difficult because every performance I do people expect it to be my performance of the year, and one can't always be 100% physically…especially with the amount of travelling I do. Of course I always give my best, but sometimes the body doesn't do as much as you'd like it to."
How about stage fright? "Luckily I don't usually suffer from this, but I certainly did in the early years. I remember coming to London in 1997 to do Swan Lake with ENB at the Albert Hall. I was very scared; it was my first Swan Lake in England, my first performances in London…a lot of things together which made me very nervous. I was also very, very scared the first time I danced here at the ROH in 1999. It was with Darcey and was Nutcracker for the re-opening of the House…I was terrified!"
 Roberto Bolle at a press conference in April 2004 © AP, Roberto Bolle Roberto is about to go on his first trip to America, on this summer's Royal Ballet tour - and to both coasts too. Considering how vocal American audiences are, particularly in NY, as opposed to the quieter European and Japanese audiences, for example, how challenging will this be for a first visit? "A few years ago I would have been very scared, but now I'm not. I've grown up a lot and have a lot more experience, so I will hopefully present myself confidently and hope the audiences there like my performances." What does he think of vocal audiences, particularly if they interrupt the flow with applause and cheering…does it distract him or encourage him? "I like it very much…it makes me feel the audience and it's very exciting. Sometimes I perform in front of really dead audiences; for example, in Italy I sometimes get an audience who are mostly there because they have subscriptions to La Scala and get a ballet or two per season thrown in amongst the operas. They often sit there and look as if they don't really want to be there, and that is terrible for us; I try to do my best and there is no response. I need to feel an audience. The Japanese audiences are always wonderful and very appreciative, and they are very knowledgeable about ballet." Marco interjects at this point that the Russian audiences are also very knowledgeable and received Roberto's performances there (Manon with the Kirov) very well…so well that he was quickly invited back. Roberto also likes the British audiences who are more reserved than some but always make him feel welcome and that his dancing is appreciated. We move on to discuss dancing partners. It is well documented that Roberto's favourite partnership is with Darcey Bussell (he tells us they are known in the dance world as "Barbie and Ken"!). However, who are his other partners? "I am very happy to be coming to dance Swan Lake with Zenaida Yanowsky next year. We danced at the Jubilee celebrations together. It was a lot of fun because not only is she such a good ballerina, but she is such a nice person so it made it a pleasure, and I'm looking forward to working with her again. I don't usually get cast with the smaller ballerinas, but this season I had the chance to dance with Alina and Leanne because they were both replacing Darcey, with whom I had been scheduled to dance. It worked very well with both dancers…I did Giselle with Leanne and Romeo and Juliet with Alina. Both of those ballets show the fragility of a ballerina, and I think having me as a tall
Alessandra Ferri comes up next, and we told Roberto how we all ended up in tears last year at the end of their performance of Romeo and Juliet at the Opera House (again, scheduled with Bussell who was replaced by Ferri). We asked if there are certain ballerinas who bring out more dramatic performances from him, perhaps with whom he has a special affinity. "I would say Alessandra is one of the best at the dramatic roles. One of my favourite Juliets. We have been dancing together for years, but we are always trying to dance together more often. It is so important for me to have a partner who can really bring out emotion, both her own and mine, and Alessandra is one who certainly does. When I dance Romeo to her Juliet, I am on a different level altogether, and it is very special to me. "I've been very lucky with my partners. Since a very young age, 21 or 22, I've danced with some of the world's best ballerinas: my first Swan Lake was with Altynai Asylmuratova, first Bayadere with Sylvie Guillem, and I danced with Alessandra, with Lucia Lacarra, with Susanne Jaffe. This was so important to me because I was really young and they each taught me so much." Are there any dancers left with whom he hasn't danced but would like to? "Not really…I have danced with just about everyone because of how I work."
How did his partnership with Polina Semionova in his June performances of Swan Lake with ENB come about? "I've danced with her in Sleeping Beauty in Berlin. Matz Skoog, ENB's director, asked her if she wanted to dance Odette/Odile here and of course she said yes, then he asked if I'd like to dance with her, and of course I said yes…I was very happy because she is a beautiful dancer. This was her first Swan Lake and I am very happy it was with me."
 © John Ross Their three performances were mostly very well received by the critics here in London. To what extent does Roberto read the critics, and how do their words affect him? "I do read some of them. Yes, sometimes harsh words upset me, especially when I believe I've done a great show, I've tried my best, the audience, choreographer [or whoever has staged the ballet] and staff are all happy, and then I read a critic who says that I am tall and handsome but that's about it. It may be that I am tall and handsome, but after all the hard work and giving 100%, there has to be much more to it than that, and it upsets me when that is not recognised." This clearly affects Roberto deeply, as he becomes more animated on the subject: "I am always trying so hard to improve, I really believe in what I'm doing and sometimes I wonder what more I have to do. For example last night in Swan Lake I really felt I was in the story, and doing my best in that big, different space. I know my reviews have been good but there are one or two", he sighs deeply, "who seem to suggest that I am just something nice to look at." He adds that it also bothers him because a lot of people read reviews in the papers, and this is not how he wants to be portrayed, after all the years of hard work and travelling. On a lighter note, we asked whether he'd heard the screaming baby on the first night, which was during the Act II pas de deux. "Yes, I did…just during the quiet violin playing I heard 'waaaaaa'. It wouldn't have been so bad during the Mazurka with loud music, but it would have to be in one of the quietest parts of the ballet! I was thinking 'please, not now'! I am used to people coughing, but not babies crying; it was quite distracting!" We asked Roberto if there were any different styles or roles which he would like to try. He replied that he would be interested in dancing the role of the Swan/Stranger in Matthew Bourne's famous production of Swan Lake "I am always asked to do the classical roles, which I love, but I would like to try something very different, and I don't often have the opportunity to do that. I think Bourne's Swan Lake is a masterpiece and a great role for a man. I don't know if I'd be right for the role, but I'd love to try." Roberto is always booked up at least one year in advance, so if this ever were to come about, his fans might have a bit of a wait! Considering all the different companies with whom he guests, has he had time to absorb any of their styles of dancing, for example at the Royal Ballet? "I think so in the case of the Royal. Although I move around a lot, I always seem to spend a lot of time here. For example I am here learning Onegin at the moment, even though I'm not performing with the RB again until the States in July. I think I have absorbed and learnt a lot here, especially dancing the MacMillan and Ashton repertoires, and having the opportunity of working with Monica Mason, Donald MacLeary and of course Anthony Dowell. I feel very comfortable here. I am contracted to do ten performances a year at La Scala, but last season did more than that here in London. It also helps that I'm tall…I can partner both tall and small girls, so that is also a reason I get asked back, I'm sure!"
We talk again about roles. Des Grieux in Manon is his favourite role to dance. He also loves dancing Romeo. Are there any roles besides the male swan which he would like to dance in the future? "As I mentioned earlier, I am learning Onegin so I'm really looking forward to dancing that; it is beautiful. It is my favourite ballet to watch as a member of the audience. I have danced Lensky, but never Onegin. I will be dancing it with Ferri in Milan in November. I am very excited about it."
 San Remo - Roberto Bolle in Zanella's Firebird © AP, Roberto Bolle Are there any companies left with whom he hasn't danced but would like to? "Oh yes. I would love to dance with American Ballet Theatre or New York City Ballet….I would love to dance with one of the NY companies. I am going there now for the first time with the RB, and I am very glad I'm going with them because I feel part of them and feel comfortable with them, so that will make my NY debut a bit easier. Maybe someone will see me and invite me to dance with them." What does he think of the Balanchine repertoire…how much of it has he danced? "I have danced a few, but my favourite is definitely Apollo. It is beautiful, a real masterpiece, and still so fresh. I have danced it here and in Milan in the past year or so. I am also learning Kylian's 'Petit Mort' at the moment, just to do something different. I always wanted to dance with Paris Opera Ballet, and last month I finally did, with Agnes Letestu in Nureyev's Don Q. It was wonderful, although it is a very difficult ballet." We turn to the future and ask if he has given any thought to what he will do when he is no longer dancing. Choreography? Teaching? Forming his own company? "Choreography, no. I would like to be a coach, to coach young dancers in the roles I have danced. I haven't done any yet simply because I haven't had the time. I don't have time for anything except dancing at the moment. I'd like to be director of a company, maybe in Italy. I'd like to help dance in Italy, and with a name and international experience, I think I could do that. Maybe one day". Not so widely known is the fact that Bolle is a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF. How on earth does he fit that into such a hectic schedule? "I take this role very seriously and do all I can as a busy artist. I dance benefit galas…for example there will be one in Rome in December celebrating UNICEF's anniversary. One day when time permits I will go to Africa in that capacity. In the meantime, I always try to do the benefits when they ask me." Is this a lifelong role? "Yes, providing I treat it with respect and carry out the role with seriousness". Roberto knows how lucky he is to have had a happy childhood and is very happy to be able to give something back. Having moved off the subject of ballet, we finish by remarking that Roberto doesn't drink or smoke. "I'm too good to be true" he laughs. Earlier Marco had told us that Roberto was "like a monk" because his whole life is spent travelling, rehearsing, doing class and performing. Like all successful dancers, he is incredibly dedicated and hard working. When he does have a bit of time off, what does he enjoy doing? "Very occasionally I have time to party. I miss my family so I try to see them as often as possible. Sometimes when I go home to Milan it is literally just to change clothes and suitcases overnight, so I don't even get a chance to see them then. At the moment it has been more than a month since I've been home, but my family came to see Swan Lake here. I will definitely return to live in Italy one day. When I'm in London with time off I sometimes go to a musical or show, but I rarely get the time. On a day off I like to just rest!" This summer he will take a month off to go on safari in Africa, and to the Athens Olympics, before the start of a busy season and all that travelling again. We end by asking him what it was like to dance for the Pope on National Youth Day in St. Peter's Square in Rome, to a piece choreographed especially for him by Zanella, Director of Ballet in Vienna. "It was a beautiful experience, and very emotional because you realise that this is a unique moment in your life. A similar situation was dancing in Buckingham Palace, in the throne room, for the Queen during the Jubilee celebrations last year. This was really special."
His next special moment was going to be watching Italy play football…the game had already started by the time we finished so off he went to find a television. Unfortunately, Italy could only manage a draw… but they, and we, have a winner in Roberto Bolle.
|
||||||||
|
 |
||||||||
|
|
||||||||
|
|
||||||||
|
|
||||||||
|
|
||||||||
