The French Ministry of Culture honors Alessandra Ferri

On February 19, the director of the Vienna State Ballet Alessandra Ferri, celebrated artist and prima ballerina assoluta, was appointed Officer in the Order of Arts and Letters on behalf of the French Ministry of Culture. The award was presented by the French Ambassador to Austria, Matthieu Peyraud, at the French Embassy on Schwarzenbergplatz. The Order of Arts and Letters is the most important cultural award in France and honors "persons who have distinguished themselves through their work in the artistic, cultural or literary field or through their contribution to the promotion of the arts and literature in France and in the world". This award recognizes not only Alessandra Ferri's exceptional career, but also her commitment to the art of dance and its dissemination.

In his speech, Ambassador Peyraud emphasized that Alessandra Ferri's "enduring connection to France" is "very valuable" for the country and its culture. With her appointment, the French Republic is honoring "an artist who has brought works from the French repertoire to the international stage and whose work has profoundly shaped the history of dance on an international level".

Alessandra Ferri accepted the award with deep gratitude and emphasized in her speech how her personal connection to France's art and its artists, as well as her encounters with French audiences, have shaped her personal and professional life: "France has been an essential part of my journey. My long and intense artistic relationship with Roland Petit and the Ballet de Marseille had a profound impact on me. Through his works, I discovered a theatrical intensity and dramatic truth that expanded my understanding of what ballet can express. With Pierre Lacotte and the Ballet de Nancy, I experienced another facet of the French tradition, its dedication to history, style and the living preservation of classical heritage. Dancing at the Opéra de Paris allowed me to experience the extraordinary dialog between artists and the French public, a dialog of intelligence, sensitivity and high expectations. These experiences have shaped me as an artist." Ferri also emphasized that "art knows no boundaries, because it circulates, it transforms, it connects".

The ceremony ended with the famous Méditation from Thaïs by French composer Jules Massenet, which was superbly interpreted by Victoria Trusewicz and Shino Takizawa on violin and piano.