Frédéric Olivieri to Succeed Manuel Legris as Director of La Scala Ballet

The Teatro alla Scala in Milan has announced that Frédéric Olivieri, a former étoile dancer of the Paris Opera Ballet, will take over as the director of La Scala’s ballet company starting March 1, 2025, for at least two seasons.

Following the announcement that Dominique Meyer would be replaced as general director of La Scala by Fortunato Ortombina, it became clear that the current ballet director, Manuel Legris—who has led the company since December 2020—would also be stepping down.

Since May 2024, speculation had been circulating that Italian ballet star Roberto Bolle might assume the role. However, the position has ultimately been entrusted to French dancer Frédéric Olivieri. The former étoile from Nice previously served as director of La Scala Ballet from 2002 to 2007 and again from 2016 to 2020. Additionally, since 2006, he has been the director of the ballet school (Académie) affiliated with the prestigious Milanese institution, a role he will continue to hold.

Frédéric Olivieri Named Étoile of the Ballets de Monte-Carlo in 1986

Born in Nice in 1961, Frédéric Olivieri won first prize at the Prix de Lausanne in 1977, which granted him access to the Paris Opera Ballet School and subsequently a place in the company’s corps de ballet. In 1981, under the direction of Rudolf Nureyev, he was promoted to soloist.

In 1985, he joined the Ballets de Monte-Carlo as a premier danseur under the leadership of Pierre Lacotte and Ghislaine Thesmar, and in March 1986, he was elevated to the rank of étoile. In 1996, he transitioned into ballet direction, leading companies such as Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Zurich Ballet, and the Florence Ballet before first assuming leadership of La Scala Ballet in 2002.