By Sara Rossi
MILAN (Reuters) – Italian Jacopo Tissi has returned to Milan’s La Scala after the war in Ukraine prompted his abrupt departure from the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow where he had been promoted to principal dancer at the turn of the year.
The 27-year-old performed at the Bolshoi theatre for the last time on March 3 before leaving suddenly early the following morning, taking only the essentials with him after five years in Russia.
“I was overwhelmed by emotion…It was a moment I will not easily forget,” he told Reuters, fighting back tears as he described leaving the Bolshoi and the shows he had prepared so hard for.
Tissi, who was born in northern Italy and trained at La Scala, said he had to take the decision to leave Moscow very quickly.
“There was a rather heavy atmosphere…It was no longer possible to carry on doing my job,” he said.
Tissi will perform on Thursday in a gala for Ukrainian refugees at another Milan theatre before taking on the role of guest principal dancer at La Scala 2022/23 ballet season.
He says he learnt a lot in Moscow but does not regret leaving.
“I have to say it’s thanks to the Bolshoi for making me the artist I am today,” he said.
He is reluctant to get too drawn into commenting on the situation in Ukraine following the Russian invasion on Feb. 24, describing the situation as “terrible, sad and incredible too”.
Asked about a benefit ballet staged last weekend at the Bolshoi, Tissi said, “There are always two sides in a war, and victims on one side and the other.”
Tissi is now finding solace in being back home.
“Returning to dance in Italy, in Milan, a city that is close to my heart, in a very special theatre, is of course something I am happy about.”($1 = 0.9146 euros)
(Reporting by Sara Rossi; Editing by Keith Weir, Alexandra Hudson)
