……BILLY SUTER……
FOLLOWING Joburg Ballet’s Cinderella reworking, using hits by Abba, then Mzansi Ballet’s more recent nod to Elvis Presley, Durban North’s Milkwood Theatre, at Danville Park Girls’ High School, will again see a novel one-act ballet.
Three performances have been scheduled for a new, one-act ballet showcasing opera great, Maria Callas. This time, however, the work is being presented and choreographed, in his solo capacity, by Mario Gaglione, a senior soloist and associate choreographer with Joburg Ballet. His Maria Callas – Prima Donna is a self-funded passion project, he says, adding that it features some of the principals and soloists from Joburg Ballet.
In the starring role is Monike Cristina, of whom Mario is hugely proud as this dance work saw her win this year’s Naledi Award for Best Performance in a Dance, Physical Theatre or Ballet Production.
The ballet, which was very warmly received in both Johannesburg and Cape Town, will be presented at Durban North’s Milkwood Theatre at 6.30pm on Saturday, May 23; and at 2pm and 5pm on Sunday, May 24. Booking is via Webtickets and tickets are priced from R200 to R250.
Divine, enchanting and tragically human, Maria Callas remains one of the most captivating figures in opera history. This intimate ballet brings her extraordinary life to the stage, weaving together the passion of her artistry, the turbulence of her personal journey, and the relentless pursuit of perfection that defined her.
“From soaring triumphs to devastating heartbreaks, we meet the legend, revealing the woman behind the voice,’ says Mario, adding that the cast includes Revil Yon, Ivan Domiciano, Chloé Blair, Gabriella Ghiaroni.
Maria Callas – Prima Donna highlights arias such as Casta Diva and Mon cœur s’ouvre à ta voix, and also uses operatic excerpts from La Traviata and Carmen to evoke both Callas’s legacy and the women she embodied. Costumes have been sourced from rare vintage collections.
The production invites audiences to step closer to the mystery of Maria Callas, her triumphs, her heartbreaks and her enduring spirit that continues to inspire. it blends the physical poetry of dance with rare video interviews with Callas herself, and is said to create a powerful dialogue between past and present, the icon and the individual.
Mario originally wanted to create a ballet about Callas in 2023, to mark the 100th anniversary of her birth, but having delayed it he is now delighted to tour the work.
“Maria Callas has long been a source of fascination and inspiration for me. Her unwavering commitment to music and theatre, even through a turbulent life, speaks of a resilience I deeply admire. She faced adversity with courage, always returning to her art with renewed passion. Her voice and presence transformed opera, leaving a legacy that still resonates today,” he says.
“I debuted the ballet last year as a separate project from Joburg Ballet, and premiered it at the Lesedi Theatre, at the Joburg Theatre. We performed it again in January this year, in Cape Town, by invitation of the UCT Summer School as their closing show. I decided to take it to Durban because I really want KZN to experience it too, as the city doesn’t have a local professional ballet company like Joburg and Cape Town do.”
.....SoSuterBill..... 