Open Stage 2026. Performance “Piazzolla. Faces of tango” — International Ballet Company Italia

“Portrait of Passion”

“Piazzolla. Faces of tango”

International Ballet Company Italia, Italy

Choreography: Alessandro Bonavita

After the story of freedom inscribed in the heroic history of Spartacus, the festival turns its gaze to a different kind of force. The one that is born out of a passion for creation. Astor Piazzolla was an artist who changed the way we think about tango. He did not reject tradition, but gave it a new dimension, combining Argentine roots with influences from classical music and jazz. In the jubilee “Portraits of Dance” he becomes the protagonist of the story of a man who had the courage to listen to his own voice.

The play “Piazzolla. Faces of tango” International Ballet Company Italia is not a classic biography of the composer. Choreographer Alessandro Bonavita creates a stage portrait of the artist through the emotions contained in his music — passion, melancholy, anxiety and the constant need to search. It is a meeting of dance with the work of a man who has proven that true art begins where established patterns end.

In my choreography, tango becomes more than a characteristic rhythm and form of movement. It is a space of relationships, tensions and human stories. Classical ballet technique meets the expression of contemporary dance, creating a language full of contrasts — elegance and spontaneity, precision and emotional freedom. Alessandro Bonavita — choreographer, dancer A fifteen-member international dance team International Ballet Company Italia will perform on stage, bringing together artists from renowned ballet schools in Europe. Their interpretation of Piazzolla's music reveals its multidimensionality — from subtle, lyrical phrases to energetic passages where rhythm sets the pace of human emotions. The history of Piazzolla is also a story of creative independence. His innovative approach to tango was initially met with opposition from parts of the environment who believed that the tradition should remain intact. However, the artist did not give up his vision. Thanks to this, music was created that crossed the borders of Argentina and became a universal language of emotions.

We invite an audience that appreciates dance based on musical sensitivity, subtlety and refined form. It is a proposal both for lovers of tango, ballet, Piazzolla's work, and for those who discover dance theater through its most emotional dimension.

Piazzolla left a way of looking at art in which tradition meets the courage to change. This spectacle allows us to see how rhythm, silence and movement create a portrait of an extraordinary, creative man”. Karolina Wójs — Director of MFTT OPEN STAGE

After the performance, we invite you to meet the artists.

Program of the XV International Festival of Dance Theatres OPEN STAGE

“Co-financed from the funds of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage from the Fund for the Promotion of Culture — a state special purpose fund, as part of the “Dance” program, implemented by the National Institute of Music and Dance”