The Scala Ballet perform on stage. Photo: Courtesy of the Italian Embassy in Beijing

Five years after their last performance in China, the Teatro alla Scala Ballet Company finally made a return, initiating a long-awaited tour. As part of the 52nd Hong Kong Arts Festival, the Scala Ballet performed on the evenings of March 15, 16, and 17 in Hong Kong. From March 21 to 24, the company also performed at the Shanghai Grand Theatre.

Italian Ambassador to China, Massimo Ambrosetti, attended these performances accompanied by the Consul General of Italy in Hong Kong, Carmelo Ficarra, and the Consul General in Shanghai, Tiziana D'Angelo.

The Ballet Company of Teatro alla Scala is one of the most prestigious ballet companies in the world, with nearly 250-year history. It is also one of the jewels of Italian art and culture, brilliantly showcasing the art form of dance. Dance originated in the Italian Renaissance courts and became, alongside painting, music, and poetry, one of the most popular art forms of the time.

This tour has also become an opportunity to further promote dialogue between China and Italy. Dance, with its innate expressiveness, is a language that is easy to understand and thus can bridge any cultural gap.

Ambassador Ambrosetti said, "The art of dance is an ideal tool for cross-cultural communication, and thus an excellent means of diplomacy."
"This tour can help our two countries to consolidate and renew the dialogue between our two civilizations, which are both different and complementary to each other," the ambassador added.