Choreographer Mario Gaglione on Translating Puccini’s Operas into Ballet

Italian choreographer Mario Gaglione, currently touring southern Africa with ballet adaptations of Giacomo Puccini's operas, shared his thoughts on the challenges of translating them into dance. According to Gaglione, Puccini’s music makes the process easier, stating, “You just have to listen to the music, and the steps come by themselves.”

Of Puccini's three operas—Tosca, La Bohème, and Madama Butterfly—Tosca posed the most challenges due to its spoken sections mixed with singing. "It was a bit more complicated because there are moments when the characters argue," Gaglione explained. In contrast, La Bohème was the easiest, with Gaglione particularly enjoying exploring the first encounter between Mimì and Rodolfo, saying, "It’s more interesting choreographically to discover the dynamics between two people who don’t know each other."

The tour, titled Omaggio a Puccini – Tribute to Puccini, was commissioned by the Italian Cultural Institute in Pretoria, with support from the Italian Embassy in South Africa. Gaglione noted the challenge of respecting the original text while translating each scene into dance. "You have to be careful how much to take from the text and how much to leave to the imagination or physical interpretation."

The performances focus on storytelling and emotion, with no elaborate sets or costumes. Gaglione, a solo dancer and choreographer at Joburg Ballet, also recently premiered a ballet adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. While this book has inspired films, musicals, and games, he said, "It would be a dream to develop an entire ballet based on an opera, possibly an Italian one."