On October 16, 2025, the Sale Apollinee of Teatro La Fenice will host a lecture with video projections curated by Franco Bolletta, Artistic and Organizational Director of the dance activities of Fondazione Teatro La Fenice. Entitled Paths in Dance – La Fille mal gardée, the event will focus on one of the most celebrated and enduring masterpieces of the international ballet repertoire.
La Fille mal gardée – sometimes translated as The Wayward Daughter or The Unchaperoned Girl – is in fact the oldest ballet still performed today by companies around the world. Created in 1789 by Jean Dauberval, one of the greatest choreographers of his time and a pupil of Jean-Georges Noverre, the work stands out as a turning point in the history of dance. Dauberval, who later became the teacher of Charles Didelot, infused the ballet with a sense of freshness, humor, and realism that contrasted with the prevailing mythological subjects of the period.
The lecture will explore the origins and evolution of this ballet through a rich selection of images, archival materials, and video excerpts, highlighting the reasons why La Fille mal gardée has continued to inspire dancers, choreographers, and audiences for more than two centuries.
Thanks to Franco Bolletta’s expertise, the audience will discover how a work born on the eve of the French Revolution still resonates with contemporary viewers, offering a timeless portrait of youthful love, wit, and everyday life.
An unmissable opportunity to revisit the roots of ballet and appreciate its enduring vitality.
Website: www.teatrolafenice.it
Location: La Fenice Opera House, Venice
Schedule: October 16, 2025
