Nicoletta Manni

Biography

Nicoletta Manni, Was born and raised in Santa Barbara (Lecce). She received her initial training locally at her mother’s ballet school, before being accepted at La Scala Ballet School at the age of 13.

After graduating in 2009 she joined StaatsBallett Berlin (under the direction of Vladimir Malakhov at that time) where she stayed for three seasons, performing in all the classical and contemporary productions.

Under the invitation of Makhar Vaziev, she returned to Italy, joining La Scala Ballet Company, having her debut in Myrtha (Giselle) and Odette/Odile in Rudolf Nureyev’s Swan Lake. A year later, at the age of 22, she was promoted to Principal Dancer of La Scala Ballet. Since then, she has danced all the main roles, alongside international guest stars, and performed many new creations, as well as masterpieces of the classical repertoire in Milan and abroad during the prestigious Tours of La Scala in Kazakhistan, France, Poland, China and Japan.

Her repertoire includes:
A. Ratmansky’s Russian Seasons and Concerto DSCH;
Main couple in Diamonds and Rubies in G.e Balanchine’s Jewels;
R. Petit’s Pink Floyd Ballet and Jeune home et la Mort;
Kitri and the Queen of the dryads in Nureyev’s Don Quixote;
Genius of Civilization in L. Manzotti’s Excelsior;
Aurora and Lilac Fairy in A. Ratmansky’s Sleeping Beauty;
title parts in K. MacMillan’s L’histoire de Manon and Romeo and Juliet;
H. Spoerli’s Cello Suites;
Clara in N. Duato’s Nutcracker;
title part in Mauro Bigonzetti’s Cinderella;
Woman (creation) in M. Volpini’s The lovers garden (opposite Roberto Bolle);
Odette/Odile in A. Ratmansky’s Swan Lake;
Marguerite Gautier in J. Neumier's Lady of the Camellias.

She has been frequently invited to perform at International Ballet Galas, and since 2014, she has been Roberto Bolle’s partner in Roberto Bolle & Friends project.

In 2019, she made her debut at the Bolshoi Theatre in Etudes as Ballerina.

Photo: Sergio Goglia.