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Marianela Núñez

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Marianela Núñez
as Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty
Born (1982-03-23) 23 March 1982 (age 42)
Buenos Aires, Argentina
CitizenshipArgentina
United Kingdom
EducationTeatro Colón Ballet School
The Royal Ballet School
OccupationBallet dancer
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2011; div. 2015)​
Career
Current groupThe Royal Ballet
Former groupsColon Theater Ballet
Marianela Nunez on the evening of 1 Feb 2018 marking her 20th anniversary as a member of The Royal Ballet.
Ballerinas (L-R) Lauren Cuthbertson, Marianela Núñez, Laura Morera and Samantha Raine in Dances at a Gathering, Royal Ballet, 4 June 2008

Marianela Núñez (born 23 March 1982) is an Argentine-British ballet dancer. She is a principal dancer with The Royal Ballet, London.[1]

Early life

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Marianela Núñez was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She has three older brothers. Her mother sent her to ballet classes when she was three. At first, she took dance classes at her teacher's garage. At age five, Núñez decided to focus on ballet.[2][3][4] She entered Teatro Colón Ballet School at age six.[1]

Career

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At age 14, halfway through her training, Colon Theater Ballet's lead Maximiliano Guerra chose Núñez to dance with him, and the company selected Núñez to join the company. She danced with the company in both Buenos Aires and on tour, and danced with the company's lead in various roles. In 1997, at age 15, she auditioned for The Royal Ballet when the company was on tour in Los Angeles, even though she didn't speak English. She was offered a contract, but UK employment law prevented her from working in the UK until age 16. She attended The Royal Ballet School instead, and was guaranteed she would be offered a contract the following year. She was promoted to First Soloist, the second highest rank of the company, in 2000.[1][2][4][5]

In 2001, Núñez replaced the injured Leanne Benjamin as Kitri in Don Quixote, with Carlos Acosta as Basilio.[6] She was promoted to principal dancer the following year. She has danced leading roles in both classical and contemporary works by choreographers including Frederick Ashton, John Cranko, Kenneth MacMillan, Wayne McGregor and Christopher Wheeldon.[1] In 2013, she won the Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance for Viscera, Aeternum and 'Diana and Actaeon' from Metamorphosis: Titian 2012.[7]

In 2018, following a performance of Giselle, Núñez celebrated her 20th anniversary at The Royal Ballet. Artistic director Kevin O'Hare declared her "one of the greats of her generation".[8] Present were Lady Sarah Chatto, Peter Wright, Monica Mason, and The Argentine ambassador to the UK Renato Carlos Sersale di Cerisano.[9]

Outside the Royal Ballet, Núñez has made many guest appearances worldwide, including in Austria, U.S., Italy, Argentina and Australia.[1] She has performed in La Scala Theatre Ballet many times, and is a frequent collaborator of Roberto Bolle. She has also returned to Colón Theater Ballet, where her career started.[10]

Reviews

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On Don Quixote, The Guardian wrote she is "a brilliant exponent of rubato dancing, stretching chosen phrases to breaking point and then flying through the music with ecstatic abandon."[11]

Reviewing Núñez's guest appearance in American Ballet Theatre's Cinderella, the New York Times, noted: "effortless attack and enthusiastic impetus made the sequence thrilling."[12]

The Times also praised Núñez's portrayal of Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, she "has a pure line, a melting plasticity and a smooth legato quality. Her Odette was lyrical and sorrowful; her Odile steely and sexy."[13]

On Núñez as Nikiya in La Bayadère, The Independent noted she "has luscious musical phrasing and floating line."[14]

Personal life

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Núñez married fellow principal at the Royal Ballet, Thiago Soares in 2011 in Buenos Aires.[15] The couple separated in 2014 and announced their divorce in January 2016, but remain friends and continue to dance together.[16][17]

Núñez is a naturalised British citizen.[18]

Selected repertoire

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Núñez's repertoire with The Royal Ballet includes:

Created roles[1]
  • Infra
  • Asphodel Meadows
  • "Diana and Actaeon" (Metamorphosis: Titian 2012)
  • Human Seasons
  • Tetractys
  • Carmen (Carlos Acosta)
  • Multiverse

Awards

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[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Marianela Nuñez". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Portrait of the artist: Marianela Nuñez". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  3. ^ "Dancer Marianela Nunez: 'The Royal Opera House and the Royal Ballet are my home and my family'". The Stage. 13 February 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Portrait of the artist: Marianela Nuñez". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  5. ^ "In conversation with Marianela Nuñez". Gramilano. 9 July 2020.
  6. ^ "Royal Ballet Principal Marianela Nuñez on Her Signature Role: Don Quixote's Kitri". Pointe Magazine. 19 May 2020.
  7. ^ "Olivier Awards 2013: The results in full". The Telegraph. 28 April 2013.
  8. ^ "Marianela Nuñez celebrates 20 years with The Royal Ballet with a traditional flower throw". Royal Opera House. 7 February 2018.
  9. ^ "Distinguieron a Marianela Núñez por su contribución extraordinaria al Royal Ballet". La Nación (in Spanish). 2 February 2018. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  10. ^ a b c d ""Choreographically, it is heaven!" Marianela Núñez on dancing Tatiana". Bachtrack. 5 February 2020.
  11. ^ a b "Don Quixote review – the evening belongs to Marianela Nuñez". The Guardian. 29 November 2014.
  12. ^ a b "Review: Marianela Nuñez Enchants as Cinderella With American Ballet Theater". The New York Times. 5 July 2015.
  13. ^ a b "In Royal Ballet's New 'Swan Lake,' It's the Hero's Tragedy". The New York Times. 18 May 2018.
  14. ^ a b "La Bayadère, Royal Opera House, London review: A night of powerful personalities and blazing dancing". The Independent. 6 November 2018.
  15. ^ Bryant, Miranda (16 January 2015). "Dancing with my husband happens naturally…we understand each other". Evening Standard. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  16. ^ Patrick Kidd (16 January 2016). "Diary (TMS): Covent Garden's first couple split, Bowie's parliament flop, Friends star misses out and Yes, prime minister". The Times. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  17. ^ The Royal Opera House Magazine, January 2016, Page 22-26.
  18. ^ "Marianela Núñez on one of her fav ballets, La Fille mal gardée, and life under lockdown". DanceTabs. 10 June 2020.
  19. ^ "Marianela Núñez excels in the Royal Ballet's Coppélia". Financial Times. 2 December 2019.
  20. ^ a b "5 Lessons We Could All Learn from Marianela Nuñez". Dance Magazine. 9 August 2018.
  21. ^ "Sylvia review – lustful hunters and weapons-grade dancing". The Guardian. 1 December 2017.
  22. ^ Mackrell, Judith (10 March 2010). "La Fille Mal Gardée Review 2010". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  23. ^ "Romeo and Juliet review 2008". The Guardian. 15 June 2008.
  24. ^ "Royal Ballet – Monotones I & II, The Two Pigeons – London". DanceTabs. 20 November 2015.
  25. ^ "The Royal Ballet opens the new season with Mayerling". Bachtrack. 9 October 2018.
  26. ^ "Manon review – touching greatness, three times over". The Guardian. 15 April 2018.
  27. ^ "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland". Dancing Times. 30 March 2011.
  28. ^ "Royal Ballet – La Sylphide & Ballo della Regina – London". DanceTabs. 25 May 2012.
  29. ^ "The week in dance: The Cellist/Dances at a Gathering; Message in a Bottle – review". The Guardian. 23 February 2020.
  30. ^ "Scènes de ballet/A Month in the Country/ Rhapsody review – an outstanding Ashton triple bill". The Guardian. 1 May 2022.
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