Nicola del
Freo

Benois de la Danse nominee

Born in Massa in 1991, he completed his studies at the Hamburg Ballett Schule John Neumeier (2005–2010), also attending the Yorkshire Ballet Summer School in 2006. In 2010–2014 he was in the Staatsballett Berlin. He joined the ballet company of the Teatro alla Scala at the beginning of 2015 and has been a solo dancer since April 2018.

He has performed in a variety of solo and premiere roles in ballets of classical heritage and contemporary works by Kenneth MacMillan, John Cranko, George Balanchine, Hans van Manen, Roland Petit, William Forsythe, Heinz Spoerli, Nacho Duato, Mauro Bigonzetti, Massimiliano Volpini, Eugenio Scigliano, Glen Tetley, Rudolf Nureyev, Manuel Legris, Maurice Béjart, Anna-Marie Holmes, Luciano Cannito.

As a leading soloist, La Scala performed in the roles of Basil (Don Quixote by Nureyev at the Archimboldi Theater), Soldor (La Bayadère by Nureyev), Jewels by George Balanchine (Emeralds, the main pair in Diamonds), Albert (Giselle), Lensky and Onegin, also playing Prince Gremin (Onegin), Drosselmeyer / Prince (Nutcracker by Nureyev), etc.

He also starred as the main character in the world premiere of an evening of three ballets by choreographers Smith/Men and Lightfoot/Valastro.