Mauro Bigonzetti

Mauro Bigonzetti is an Italian choreographer and former dancer whose commissions have shaped contemporary ballet across major international companies. Born in Rome on 25 February 1960, he trained at the School of Teatro dell'Opera di Roma before joining the Rome company. He moved to Aterballetto in the 1982–83 season, where he would later serve as Artistic Director from 1997 to 2007. His first ballet, *Sei in movimento*, premiered in 1990, establishing him as a creator of athletically demanding, abstract work.

Bigonzetti's international commissions span English National Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, New York City Ballet, and Teatro alla Scala, among many others. For New York City Ballet, he created *Vespro* (2002), *In Vento* (2006), *Oltremare* (2008), *Luce Nascosta* (2010), and *AMARIA* (2021). In 2016, he directed the Ballet Company of Teatro alla Scala. His 2007 ballet *Four Seasons*, set to Vivaldi, was documented in performance and remains accessible through Jacob's Pillow Dance Interactive.

Bigonzetti's choreographic method centres on reciprocal exchange between dancer and creator. His works are characterized by weighted partnering, close physical contact, and abstract movement that demands technical control and expressive depth from performers. He describes choreography itself as an opening—a dialogue grounded in bodily relationship rather than imposed form. This approach has made his commissions sought after by companies seeking contemporary work with classical ballet training at its core.