Eleonora Abbagnato

Eleonora Abbagnato (Italian pronunciation: [eleoˈnɔːra abbaɲˈɲaːto]; born 30 June 1978) is an Italian ballet dancer, model, and actress. Between 2013 and 2021 she was Étoile at the Paris Opera Ballet.

Eleonora Abbagnato
Born (1978-06-30) 30 June 1978
Palermo, Sicily
Occupations
  • Ballet dancer
  • television personality
  • actress

Early life and education

Born in Palermo, Abbagnato started dancing at 5 years old, and at 12 she moved to Monte Carlo to enroll in the dance school of Marika Bresobrasova.[1] At 13, she toured Europe with Roland Petit's The Sleeping Beauty, in the role of Aurora as a child.[1][2] She was then admitted, after a private audition, to the École de Danse of the Paris Opera as a fellowship student.[1][3]

Career

In 1996, at the age of 18, Abbagnato graduated and joined the corps de ballet of the Opera, where she made a rapid ascent: Coryphée in 1999, Sujet in 2000, Premiere Danseuse in 2001 and Étoile in March 2013.[3][4]

In 2007, Abbagnato debuted as an actress in the film Il 7 e l'8 with Ficarra e Picone.[5] On 18 February 2009, she joined Paolo Bonolis in hosting the second night of the Sanremo Music Festival.[6] The same year, she released her autobiography Un angelo sulle punte (An Angel on her toes).[7]

In 2012, she was the subject of a photographic exhibition with pictures by Massimo Gatti that was held in Milan, Los Angeles, London and Miami.[8]

In 2015, Abbagnato was appointed director of the corps de ballet of the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma.[9]

Abbagnato was first set to retire from Paris Opera Ballet after a performance of Le Parc in 2019. However, due to the dancers' strike, her farewell had to be delayed. She then chose to have special performance that features works she danced over the course of her career. The show was scheduled on 18 May 2020.[10] However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the performing arts, the performance was cancelled. She eventually bade her farewell to the stage on 12 June 2021 performing a Hommage a Roland Petit.[11]

Personal life

Abbagnato married football player Federico Balzaretti on 13 June 2011.[12] They have two children. Balzaretti has two children from a previous relationship.[13]

Filmography
Films
Year Title Role Director Notes
2007 Il 7 e l'8 Eleonora Ficarra e Picone, Giambattista Avellino Feature film debut as an actress
2016 Ballerina Odette (voice) Éric Summer, Éric Warin Italian dub; voice role
Television appearances
Year Title Role Notes
2009 Sanremo Music Festival 2009 Herself Italian annual music festival; host in the second episode
2013–2017 Amici di Maria De Filippi Herself Italian talent show; coach (season 12); judge (season 16)
2016 Prodigi - La musica è vita Herself Italian talent show; judge (season 1)

References
  1. Scalise, Irene Maria (1 March 2009). "Da Palermo all'Opéra Abbagnato si racconta". La Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  2. Chiara, Dino (12 April 2002). "L' etoile dell' Opera venuta da Palermo". La Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  3. "Chi è Eleonora Abbagnato che prenderà il posto di Miguel Bosè". Il Sussidiario (in Italian). 11 May 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  4. "Abbagnato étoile all'Opera di Parigi". Il Secolo XIX (in Italian). 28 March 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  5. Nobile, Laura (13 March 2007). "Ficarra e Picone 'La nostra Palermo set irrinunciabile'". La Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  6. Vitali, Alessandra (18 February 2009). "Seconda serata, Bonolis cerca il bis con Mozart e l'omaggio a De André". La Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  7. "Eleonora Abbagnato / Un angelo sulle punte". Il Sole 24 Ore (in Italian). 6 November 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  8. "Eleonora Abbagnato, étoile in mostra in 25 scatti". Il Messaggero (in Italian). 14 December 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  9. "Opera di Roma: Battistelli e Vlad direttori artistici, Abbagnato a capo del corpo di ballo". La Repubblica (in Italian). 8 April 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  10. "Eleonora Abbagnato will say adieux to the Paris Opera Ballet with a gala and défilé on 18 May". Glamilano. 23 January 2020. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  11. Eleonora Abbagnato, standing ovation per addio a Opéra di Parigi (in Italian).
  12. "Eleonora Abbagnato e Federico Balzaretti: "Tutto sul nostro amore"". Oggi (in Italian). 26 November 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  13. "Étoile Eleonora Abbagnato in isolation on Ibiza". Gramilano. 12 April 2020.
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