FRACCI FRACAS ROCKS LA SCALA BALLET.THE BOARD OF La Scala La Scala Opera house in Milan, Italy. Built in 1776 by Empress Maria Theresa of Austria (which country then ruled Milan), it replaced an earlier theatre that had burned. Ballet in Milan, Italy, has cancelled famed ballerina Carla Fracci's appointment as new artistic director, announced four months previously. The board declined to ratify ratify v. to confirm and adopt the act of another even though it was not approved beforehand. Example: An employee for Holsinger's Hardware orders carpentry equipment from Phillips Screws and Nails although the employee was not authorized to buy anything. Fracci's three-year contract, which was to begin in September, explaining that her plans for the company were unacceptable to the dancers union. What did Fracci want? Her first request was to appoint as artistic assistant her husband, the director Beppe Menegatti, who has been her mentor, promoter and personal advisor for forty years. The couple's prior experience managing Italian ballet companies Noun 1. ballet company - a company that produces ballets troupe, company - organization of performers and associated personnel (especially theatrical); "the traveling company all stayed at the same hotel" , including the San Carlo Opera House Ballet in Naples and the Verona Opera House Ballet, had culminated in serious financial deficits and union protests. But it was the ballerina's second request that killed the agreement: Fracci, 64, wanted to keep dancing. The Milanese dancers feared Fracci's wishes meant one thing: expensive productions tailored to her performing limitations, with a lowered artistic standard and few places--and roles--for the company's principal dancers A principal dancer is similar to a soloist in dance. However, principals are hired by a ballet or dance company to perform not only solos, but also pas de deux. A principal may be male or female. and younger talents. Three union representatives wrote an official letter to the board asking that Fracci follow La Scala's usual policy for artistic directors: give up dancing in favor of directorship. Fracci refused. In the last months of 1999, the crisis got worse. When Fracci announced her plans for the coming La Scala Ballet season (including a Maurice Bejart piece celebrating the centenary of Giuseppe Verdi's death and a revival of Diaghilev works), the ballet company passed a vote of no confidence and the board interrupted the negotiations. Fracci's reaction was combative com·bat·ive adj. Eager or disposed to fight; belligerent. See Synonyms at argumentative. com·bat  ive·ly adv. : In press releases and television interviews she and her husband not only complained about the theater's behavior, but also insinuated that the board did not want to invest money in her planned ballet productions because its real intention is to dismantle the corps de ballet corps de bal·let n. The dancers in a ballet troupe who perform as a group. [French : corps, corps + de, of + ballet, ballet. in the near future. The board's sole response was a press release declaring, "Miss Fracci's statements about a presumed lack of commitment toward the Ballet are groundless: The Opera House is arranging a new management for the company." After the New Year's Eve Ballo Excelsior performances--where Fracci was cheered with cards and flowers--La Scala and Italy's greatest ballerina parted company. Fracci (with Menegatti) is on her way to Rome, where she is supposed to take over the Opera House Company and the Opera House Ballet School. On March 30, La Scala's board appointed Patricia Ruanne as artistic director of the company, effective September 2000. Ruanne, a former principal dancer with London Festival Ballet and ballet mistress bal´let` mis´tress n. 1. a woman who trains ballet dancers. Noun 1. ballet mistress - a woman who directs and teaches and rehearses dancers for a ballet company at the Paris Opera Ballet The Paris Opéra Ballet is the official ballet company of the Opéra national de Paris, otherwise known as the Palais Garnier, though known more popularly simply as the Paris Opéra. during Rudolf Nureyev's directorship, most recently served as principal ballet mistress with the Milan ballet company. She had been invited as teacher by the board at Fracci's suggestion. |
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