BOLOGNA BALLET COMPETITION
The second international Bologna Ballet Competition will take place at Teatro Duse in Bologna, in November, 2024.
The international ballet competition will be judged by some of the most important choreographers, dancers and ballet teachers from all around the world, with the idea to stimulate new generations of dancers with generous awards and new engagements.
The Bologna Ballet Competition will be organized by the National Dance Foundation from Belgrade, teachers from Ballet Academy from Vienna and Ballet Academy from Budapest, in cooperation with Teatro Duse from Bologna.
The goal of launching this project, headed by Aja Jung, director and founder of the Belgrade Dance Festival, is to offer the highest quality, support the local dance scene and introduce young dancers from the wider region to the most respected experts and institutions in the field of ballet and contemporary dance.
The international ballet competition will be judged by some of the most important choreographers, dancers and ballet teachers from all around the world, with the idea to stimulate new generations of dancers with generous awards and new engagements.
The Bologna Ballet Competition will be organized by the National Dance Foundation from Belgrade, teachers from Ballet Academy from Vienna and Ballet Academy from Budapest, in cooperation with Teatro Duse from Bologna.
The goal of launching this project, headed by Aja Jung, director and founder of the Belgrade Dance Festival, is to offer the highest quality, support the local dance scene and introduce young dancers from the wider region to the most respected experts and institutions in the field of ballet and contemporary dance.
Compete in an important and mythical theater in Bologna
Ever since the mid-1600s, Palazzo del Giglio in via Cartoleria included a theatre room dedicated to Carnival and End-of-Year performances by pupils from the Jesuit Collegio dei Nobili. In 1822, the theatre was bought by engineer Antonio Brunetti, who named the hall after himself, rented it for puppet shows and restored it for the first time in 1830. Inherited by grandsons Cesare and Emilio in 1860, the theatre
re-opened with opera and, after some additional restoration work, it was inaugurated five years later with a costume ball. The hall presented two galleries with a loggia supported by iron columns, while decorative paintings were made by Valentine Solmi and Gaetano Lodi. Boasting a moving crystal skylight and other modern comforts such as gas lighting, the theatre enjoyed a lot of popularity.
Both operetta and popular concerts were introduced in the 1870s. Illustrious guests included King Umberto I and Queen Margherita in 1878, while Crispi and Carducci spoke at conferences and Sarah Bernardt acted in ‘La Dame auxcamélias’ and ‘Frou-Frou’.
The inscription to actress Eleonora Duse dates back to 1898 following a change of ownership. The most recent restorations date back to 1904 according to a project by Lorenzo Colliva and to 1940-42, when engineer Paolo Graziani created the appearance we see today with large galleries replacing the balconies. The most famous theatrical and revue companies, together with ballet companies and the most famous musicians, continued to perform here. Theatre Duse continues to be Bologna’s main playhouse.
The magnificent hall, which seats 999 people – 475 in the parterre, 210 in the first gallery, 221 in the second and 93 in two sets of boxes – maintains its original layout intact. The space is made even more beautiful by the 20th-century frieze above the proscenium and the imposting central chandelier.
Among the most famous and liveliest theatres on a national level, Duse Theatre built its prestige intertwining its work to the most important names in Italian theatre such as Nobel Prize Winner Dario Fo who, in his last few years, chose it to launch its new shows.
Between 1963 and 2010, the theatre was managed by Ente Teatrale Italiano (E.T.I.). The organisation was then suppressed. Afterwards, the destiny of the theatre remained rather uncertain until a group of entrepreneurs decided to save it in 2011. They gave it a new lease of life projecting it into the future while preserving its identity and prestigious tradition.
re-opened with opera and, after some additional restoration work, it was inaugurated five years later with a costume ball. The hall presented two galleries with a loggia supported by iron columns, while decorative paintings were made by Valentine Solmi and Gaetano Lodi. Boasting a moving crystal skylight and other modern comforts such as gas lighting, the theatre enjoyed a lot of popularity.
Both operetta and popular concerts were introduced in the 1870s. Illustrious guests included King Umberto I and Queen Margherita in 1878, while Crispi and Carducci spoke at conferences and Sarah Bernardt acted in ‘La Dame auxcamélias’ and ‘Frou-Frou’.
The inscription to actress Eleonora Duse dates back to 1898 following a change of ownership. The most recent restorations date back to 1904 according to a project by Lorenzo Colliva and to 1940-42, when engineer Paolo Graziani created the appearance we see today with large galleries replacing the balconies. The most famous theatrical and revue companies, together with ballet companies and the most famous musicians, continued to perform here. Theatre Duse continues to be Bologna’s main playhouse.
The magnificent hall, which seats 999 people – 475 in the parterre, 210 in the first gallery, 221 in the second and 93 in two sets of boxes – maintains its original layout intact. The space is made even more beautiful by the 20th-century frieze above the proscenium and the imposting central chandelier.
Among the most famous and liveliest theatres on a national level, Duse Theatre built its prestige intertwining its work to the most important names in Italian theatre such as Nobel Prize Winner Dario Fo who, in his last few years, chose it to launch its new shows.
Between 1963 and 2010, the theatre was managed by Ente Teatrale Italiano (E.T.I.). The organisation was then suppressed. Afterwards, the destiny of the theatre remained rather uncertain until a group of entrepreneurs decided to save it in 2011. They gave it a new lease of life projecting it into the future while preserving its identity and prestigious tradition.
Days of competition
Professionals to judge
Scholarships
Professional engagements
OUR PARTNERS
MORE ABOUT THE COMPETITION
Starting from the conclusion that competitions and performances represent the basic motivation for young talents, the establishment of the international Bologna Ballet Competition also starts from the position that competitions introduce young dancers to the right environment in which they invest enormous effort and make their first decisions, while simultaneously gaining the necessary confidence and experience. At the competitions, they have the opportunity to perform on stage in important repertoire roles and at the same time hear the views, opinions and advice of the best in the industry. By showing their technique and artistic abilities, but also by observing the performances of their colleagues, students of ballet schools and young dancers get valuable scholarships and professional engagements.
The main competition stage will be the Teatro Duse in Bologna, where gala concerts will also be held every day.
The main competition stage will be the Teatro Duse in Bologna, where gala concerts will also be held every day.
Ready to compete?