Alessandra Ferri - Vienna State Ballet's new Artistic Director: An interview about Visions - Part 2 (June 11th, 2025)

This is the second part of last week’s Interview with Alessandra Ferri.

You cand the first part scrolling back to September 8th.

„Doing some research for our interview, I found a beautiful comment about you. I found it in an interview done by me. Well, many people have said that coincidences don't exist, but I cannot help but wonder about this. Here it is: “I would have liked to be a little more „free", a little bit more „earthy", a little bit less trying to be stylized „pretty" and, especially, a little „freer" in where I went with the mad scene. It is hard to describe it without being able to do it physically. I loved to watch Alessandra Ferri: she never „repeated" a performance. Perhaps she'd say that there were things that she would have liked to do differently, but for me, she attained in Act One what I would have liked to have attained. THAT I would love to do if I could go back in time..."

„Who said that?", she asks curiously.

„Cynthia, Cynthia Harvey!"

(Note: In the first part of this interview, I wrote about interviews... “Isn't it, like creating, like feeling dance, just a fruit from that very moment? There is no moment exactly like the other.” This is the importance of being perfectly genuine all the time.)

She just smiles and says, nearly humbly, „If you are 'present' when preparing for a role and react to this time being 'technically free’, you will be able to go on stage and let your inner self create the image of that moment. There is a kind of spontaneity, not improvisation, in the air. Of course, that is fine if you are a soloist, and not in the Corps de Ballet", she adds with a laugh, adding „Just when you understand the essence of the role you're doing, you will be able to do it."

„Let's think of Sensitivity (often associated with emotional, or artistic awareness) and Sensibility (closely tied to the ability to experience and appreciate emotions), and the tendency, nowadays, to use ballet as „Gymnastics " - or even a form of contortionism – starting with the vulgarity of over-stretching up to using dance as a kind of a ladder to a „circus", on the way forgetting the dramaturgy, the role and all other „little things" connected with a good performance. That is a fact that I fight against, constantly. But my problem with this „circus attitude" is that it goes far beyond that. It is dangerous. It sets standards for others to follow. I mean, if one Odile does not do her 32 Fouèttes... „

„I don't", cries Miss Ferri, laughing out loud. I also had to laugh. I love spontaneity like that – And I like nothing more than people who can laugh at themselves. This is a sign not only of humour, but intelligence, freedom, and humbleness!

„Well, if a dancer does not do them or does not even make some doubles, she will be severely criticized. I am more than surprised at the mechanicalness of some representations. Poor Misty Copeland from ABT had a terrible, negative „storm" of comments on Social media, about her Swan Lake. Just because of that. To people, nothing else „mattered" in her performance. Her Artistry, interpretation, and Musicality did not matter. She was reduced to the non-existing 32 fouèttes. Have we forgotten that Fonteyn, Plissetskaya, Alonso, Kirkland, and so many others just did (sometimes) 8 fouèttes and finished the variation with piquets en tournant? But there is no question that they were great dancers... Am I being „too sensitive" about this issue?" I ask.

„Times have changed. So have dancers. I was incredibly lucky to work with geniuses and be able to learn from them directly. I mean people like MacMillan, Ashton, Tudor, Petit, Agnes de Mille, Neumeier, Pierre Lacotte, and many others – I just „missed" John Canko and George Balanchine, because they had already been taken from us. These were other times. But I still believe that even so, and we must accept this as a fact, we must incorporate all this incredible and priceless knowledge into our daily routines, and make it clear to the younger generation that it is important to „open a window". Or I'd rather say: to make them realize and suddenly understand the grandeur of what they are dealing with. We must make them understand it so that they can go on and do the same thing. Their way."

„Do you think that this has to do with time? I remember times when rehearsal schedules were not as „severe" as today and dancers had more time to pursue „other interests" as Art galleries, Museums, Exhibitions, Happenings, other performances, Opera, Theatre etc. And they were not looking for videos on their mobile phones!", I say, not only laughing but also a bit cynically.

„It is true, Ricardo, and once more I have to say, 'Times have changed', and also in this aspect, I don't think that dancers have less time now. Time is not the problem. Not time. But the reflection of the times we are in. This is what reflects in our lives. Everything is quicker. We have the feeling that we have to hurry up. This is another era.

I remember a beautiful exhibition at the Met while I was working on a certain production and how it inspired me. I always use inspiration from other Art forms, either while I was still performing and now while coaching or staging a production. I like to bring pictures of drawings, paintings, and sculptures to the studio and show them. Motivation. I like to use them not only as a way to inspire the dancers but also as a form to pass on knowledge, feelings, sensibility, another perspective... "

„Considering next year's programme, and considering its consistency, it is amazing to realize how you did a „three years' job" in just a few months. To „form" such a programme and turn it into a reality. So many things involved, some of them quite difficult to coordinate on such „short" notice, especially the „time element". Not only from the others involved but also yours! You honestly reminded me of a cartoon I used to watch as a child, en italiano „Willy el coyote e il Maso", in English simply „The road runner"!" (a very quick of running bird, I remember), and I have to laugh at this most unusual metaphor „ I am looking forward to the (even higher) finesse of the programmes' construction in the next years, when you'll have „a bit more” time to create a Season. Alessandra, could you tell us something about next Season?!

„Well, our first première will be in October and „Kallirhoe" by Alexei Ratmansky. It will also be the first European presentation of this ballet. Then in March, we'll have a triple bill, whose title, not by coincidence, is „Visionary Dances", a triple bill with works of three great visionaries: Justin Peck, Wayne McGregor, and Twyla Tharp. Late in June, at the Ballet Gala 2026, an „Hommage to Frederick Ashton" will take place!"

„No Nureyev Galas anymore? And they were taking place just every second year...", I ask.

„I wish to dedicate every year a Gala that finishes the Ballet Season, to a different Artist. Next Year we will start this new „tradition"with Sir Frederick Ashton", she concludes.

„This is great News! You KNOW, also due to your long connection with The Royal Ballet, what Ashton's choreographies are all about – I wish to see here „Fille" danced once more as it should be performed!", I say „And I love the concept of dedicating the Galas always to a different Artist. I am already curious to see what you'll take „out of your box of suprises" for us! Which ballets are staying in the repertoire for the next Season?"

„To the ‘revivals', I will bring Roland Petit's 'Die Fledermaus", which hasn't been performed full-length for years in Vienna, Balanchine's '”Jewels", MacMillan's „Manon" and Tchernishova's „Giselle", a piece very dear to my heart. Elena Tchernishova coached me for my first „Giselle". This was at ABT, and Albrecht was Baryshnikov”

“Dear Alessandra, I have read in an interview that you also wish someday to restore Sir Wright's "Sleeping Beauty" to the Viennese repertoire? That'd be wonderful. The Vienna State Ballet has danced three versions of this work, Sir Wright’s, which I consider the best one, Nureyev’s and a third one which was a “in-house” project, unfortunately very unsuccessfull”

“Yes, Ricardo. It is my wish . I am only not sure if we should mention it in case that for unexpected reasons it will not be possible … (so many different factors need to be considered in programming), but is high on my list”, she answers quite carefully, a reaction that is quite understandable. Correctness. I like and respect that!

“I understand that, but this is just a comment, a non-binding statement! Wishes are allowed”, I say jokingly, “And apart from that, it has been printed in a Newspaper, it’s not exactly news". And what about the Volksoper?”

„There will also be two premières: „Marie Antoinette" by Thierry Malandain (Note: I cannot help but think of the coincidence as the Volksoper has also had in the past a ballet piece with the same name) and „American Signatures" with works by Jerome Robbins, Pam Tanowitz, Lar Lubovitch and Jessica Lang". Additionally, we have also a revival of Vesna Orlićs “Peter Pan” and the ballet-opera crossover ‘KaiserRequiem’”

„During the press conference, and at the Opera presentation to the general public, I distinctly remember you describing a certain choreographer as a „poet". I loved this. It gave us a “hint” as it described your person by the way of giving us this „image" to hang on our expectations. I think his work will be shown at the „American Signatures "triple-bill. Who did you mean? Why?" I ask most curiously.

„Lar Lubovitch. And to your second question: Why? You'll see why...", she answers charmingly – and the Cheshire cat's smile is once more present!

“These premiéres will be danced by the dancers of the State Opera or by the Corps de Ballet of the Volksoper?”

“Marie Antoinette is a production for the Volkspoper dancers. “American Signature” will be danced by the State Opera's Ensemble”, she says.

„You had your farewell performance in June 2024 in McGregor's „Woolf works (I wish I could have seen it, as I love Wayne McGregor's work, and could not live without Virginia Woolf's works! I know the piece just from videos etc.), is there a chance that Viennese audiences will see you back on stage, performing?"

Her answer is short and very decisive: „NO! Dancing takes my whole concentration and  ENERGY. And I want to dedicate my full SELF to the company."

„Alessandra, once more, thank you very much for taking your time and may I wish you all the success that you truly deserve here in Vienna, all the patience in the world to „understand" the Viennese peculiar mentality (its sense of bureaucracy, “innovation”, and „humour) and wish you all the happiness in your „new home"!

I always welcome „changes" because they bring new energy, and new inputs into our lives, making us feel that, as my slogan for a t t i t u d e says: „It's all about looking at things differently".

I am looking forward to the beginning of this new Season. I know that the entire ballet world will be watching the company, examining every single step along the way. I am positive that Miss Ferri’s phrase (on the photo dedicated to me at the beginning of this interview) “So looking forward to a brilliant future with the Vienna State Ballet” will soon turn into a reality!

Ricardo Leitner

a t t I t u d e

June 15th 2025