When Valentino Zucchetti won the gold medal at the Genée International Ballet Competition in 2006, Dance Gazette called him ‘dazzling’ and ‘above all, devastatingly charismatic.’ The Italian artist has brought those qualities as dancer with the Royal Ballet in London (especially in vivid roles like Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, Lescaut in Manon and Lensky in Onegin), and an award-winning choreographer. Works like Scherzo, Anemoi and Jeunesse (created for the RAD’s Fonteyn competition in 2023) radiate a lyrical eye and a heartfelt response to music. As he prepares a premiere for the London Handel Festival, he discusses the rewards and challenges of his dual career.

Valentino Zucchetti trained at La Scala and the Royal Ballet School and won the RAD’s 2006 Genée International Ballet Competition (now The Fonteyn) and the 2007 Solo Seal award. He danced with Zürich Ballet and Norwegian National Ballet before joining the Royal Ballet in 2010, promoted to First Soloist in 2014. He won the RBS’s Ursula Moreton Choreographic Award in 2005, and has created ballets for New English Ballet Theatre (Orbital Motion, Enticement’s Lure, Firth of Fifth, Into the Light) and the Royal Ballet, including Scherzo (South Bank Sky Arts Award for Dance) and Anemoi (Critic’s Circle National Dance Award). He created Jeunesse for The Fonteyn 2023.

LINKS

https://www.london-handel-festival.com/show/2025-double-bill-tales-of-apollo-hercules/

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