Fondazione Nazionale della Danza / Aterballetto welcomed 2022 dancing for the traditional New Year’s Concert from the Teatro La Fenice in Venice, which Rai Cultura broadcast live on Rai1 on Saturday 1 January at 12.25 pm, and repeated the same day on Rai5 at 6 pm.
In fact, the dance performances were performed by Aterballetto company, involved in the choreographies by Diego Tortelli that accompanied the filming of the concert, shot in highly suggestive places in Venice, such as the Borges Labyrinth at the Giorgio Cini Foundation, the installations by Achim Menges and Tumo at the Biennale and Palazzo Grassi – Pinault Collection.
The programme featured a selection of famous pieces from the great opera repertoire, with symphonic pages from Verdi’s La Traviata and Wagner’s Lohengrin, and choruses from Ponchielli’s La Gioconda, Il Trovatore, La Traviata and Nabucco. Alongside conductor Fabio Luisi, two of the most acclaimed voices of the moment: South African soprano Pretty Yende performs pages such as “Je veux vivre dans le reve” from Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette and “Una voce poco fa” from Rossini’s Barbiere di Siviglia; American tenor Brian Jadge sings “Vesti la giubba” from Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci and “Nessun dorma” from Puccini’s Turandot. In closing, the grandiose finale of Turandot “Padre augusto” and, as per tradition, the cheering “Libiam ne’ lieti calici”, again from La Traviata, to wish all viewers a happy new year in music. The choir is that of the Teatro La Fenice, conducted by Alfonso Caiani.
A gratifying recognition achieved thanks to the collaborations with Rai5 in recent years, but also a great opportunity to make our reality known to a wide audience on a national scale.
On the occasion of the New Year’s Eve Concert, for the first time the Max Mara brand dressed the dancers of Fondazione Nazionale della Danza / Aterballetto with a series of its own iconic clothes redesigned specifically for the performance.
Max Mara Creative Director Ian Griffiths worked closely with Diego Tortelli. Together they designed the Max Mara costumes, characterised by four intense colours, yellow, red, electric blue and green, which create the necessary theatrical tension, the emotion aroused by pure and special colours that dialogue with the locations in which the ballets come to life.
“Diego and I started working on this project before the choreography was defined. This gave us the exciting opportunity to adapt the movements to the garments. The restrictions created by the garments, particularly the coats, are what generate the dance. I think the process is generally the reverse. The inspiration in the design was to make everyday garments but in blocks of primary colours contrasting with the locations. Basically making the ordinary extraordinary.” Ian Griffiths, Creative Director of Max Mara
FND Aterballetto – Capodanno Rai – Max Mara – ph. Piernicola Bruno
The idea of universal clothing, a meeting point between women’s and men’s wardrobes, was the starting point for a series of tank tops paired with shorts or tailored trousers, capes, waistcoats, jackets and coats, including the celebrated Teddy Bear. But also a reinterpretation of the dressing gown coat where the belt becomes extra long and becomes an element to dance with. In a refined mix of styles, the dancers wear the Max Mara blazer, while the ballerinas abandon the classic tutu and go on their toes wearing organza trousers that reveal the body and the grace of their movements.
