Royal Danish Ballet to perform at Manoel for Easter

An unusual fairytale will unfold at the Manoel Theatre in Valletta on Easter Sunday as a princess and one of the oldest, major ballet companies descend on Malta.

The Royal Danish Ballet, established at the opening of Denmark's Royal Theatre in Copenhagen in 1748, will be pirouetting their way onto the Manoel stage on April 8, accompanied by Princess Benedikte of Denmark.

This gala event is the exciting venture of Noel Buttigieg-Scicluna, Malta's Ambassador to Denmark, who believes there's no better way to strengthen ties between countries than through culture.

A self-admitted "ballet freak", Dr Buttigieg-Scicluna told The Sunday Times that this event will be a great chance for the Maltese to appreciate a high calibre ballet, especially since the last comparable ballet company to perform at the Manoel was back in 1991.

The ambassador's passion means that he's a walking encyclopaedia on the history of the Royal Danish Ballet, and he shares their unique method of choosing potential ballet stars as young as four and grooming them to celebrity status.

"Just imagine that each year about 400 apply to join the ballet school, and a mere 10 to 12 are chosen. When the children are shortlisted, the parents are then called in to examine their physical traits, to establish how the child's torso or legs may be formed when they grow up," Dr Buttigieg-Scicluna said.

The Royal Danish Ballet was developed over the centuries by three great masters. The first, Vincenzo Galeotti (1733-1816), who brought from Italy and France an international repertoire, led the company from 1775 until his death.

One of his works, Amors og Balletmastererns Luner (The Whims of Cupid and the Ballet Master), is the world's oldest ballet (1786) retaining its original choreography.

The next great leader was Auguste Bournonville, who directed the company for 51 years (1828-1879). The ballets he created - over 50 - included many parts intended to show off his own brilliant dancing, and these later became vehicles to establish and display the excellence of Danish male dancing in general.

Among his surviving works are La Sylphide (1836), Napoli (1842), Kermessen i Brügge (The Kermesse in Bruges, 1851) and Et Folkesagn (A Folk Tale, 1854).

The Bournonville method of ballet technique is a very distinctive style of ballet and is today most associated with the Royal Danish Ballet.

After his death the Danish ballet declined until 1932, when Harald Lander returned from studying dance in the Soviet Union and the US to become the company's ballet master.

In the latter half of the 20th century, the Royal Danish Ballet underwent another transformation, with many internationally prominent choreographers commissioned to work with it.

Though modern works assumed increasingly important stature in the repertoire, the Royal Danish Ballet continues to remain loyal to its classical roots as well, earning a reputation as one of the finest corps of dancers in the world, incorporating foreign as well as native-born talent.

Dr Buttigieg-Scicluna said that during their performance in Malta, the 18-strong troupe of soloists and principals will perform some of Bournonville's signature works including La Sylphide, and Act III of Napoli, as well as colourful tarantellas and pieces from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake.

More details about the event and tickets will be announced at a news conference tomorrow.