Candidates from around the world participated in the large ballet auditionFrom the theatre — 27. March 2023.
For the first time in the history of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb there was a large ballet audition held this weekend, for which more than 1200 dancers applied from all over the world. The 350 pre-selected candidates showed their skills and talent before a committee that was responsible for selecting excellent dancers of classical ballet that will join our ensemble from September 2023. The committee included Massimiliano Volpini, Director of ballet, Irena Pasarić, Tomislav Petranović and Svebor Sečak national ballet principals, Milka Bartolović, Mihaela Devald Roksandić, Suzana Bačić and Pavla Pećušak ballet mistresses and Iva Višak, corps de ballet member.
With the new generation of dancers comes new energy into the ensemble which is always a good thing. I am happy and very proud that so many young and talented dancers came to our theatre. A lot of work is ahead of us, said Massimiliano Volpini, Director of Ballet.
The quality of the candidates was very high so the pre-selection was complex and it was difficult to decide. This audition is really a great event for the CNT in Zagreb because in the global context, large ballet companies rarely open so many vacancies through auditions, while we are offering around 20, said Mihaela Devald Roksandić, ballet mistress.
During the two days there were seven ballet classes at which the young dancers showed their technique, skills, memorisation of choreographic elements and their personality.
We primarily seek literacy from the dancers which means confident ballet technique and skills and purity of execution, but great attention is put on the potential of the dancer, that is the direction in which he/she can develop, said Devald Roksandić. The dancers who have heard only good things about the Zagreb Ballet and are acquainted with our repertoire came from Australia, USA, New Zealand, France, Italy, Japan, Hungary, Romania and other countries.
In less than a month the committee will make their final decisions relating to the dancers who have passed the strict criteria for the engagement in the Ballet of the CNT in Zagreb.
