On the death of Carlos Gacio

On the death of Carlos Gacio

Carlos Gacio, former ballet master of the Vienna State Opera Ballet, died in Vienna on February 2 at the age of 88.

Born in Cuba, he was associated with the Vienna State Opera Ballet for 25 years. From 1978 to 1995 he worked as rehearsal and training director, and from 1995 to 2003 he was the company's ballet master - a title that was only ever awarded to one person at the time. He also taught at the ballet school of the Austrian Federal Theaters.

Carlos Gacio supervised countless productions of the Vienna State Opera Ballet, including Giselle in the choreography of his compatriot and legendary ballerina Alicia Alonso, who was also his dance partner during his time as first soloist of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba.

Other important works for which he was rehearsal director include Frederick Ashton's La Fille mal gardée, George Balanchine's Apollo and Serenade, Ronald Hynd's The Merry Widow, Kenneth MacMillan's Manon and Vladimir Malakhov's Die Bajadere, John Neumeier's A Midsummer Night's Dream and Daphnis and Chloë, Rudolf Nureyev's Don Quixote, Sleeping Beauty, Raymonda and Swan Lake, Peter Schaufussʼ La Sylphide, Elena Chernishova's Giselle and Renato Zanella's Spartacus, Alles Walzer and Empty Place.

Carlos Gacio was awarded the title of professor in 1998 and received the Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Art in 2003.