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Il Sogno Bianco – Behind the Scenes of Swan Lake is a documentary that took viewers deep inside the creative engine of Teatro alla Scala, offering rare access to the making of one of the most iconic ballets in the classical repertoire. Directed by Flavio Maspes, written by Chiara Ribichini and edited by Fabio Ferri, the film is produced by Sky TG24 in collaboration with the Teatro alla Scala.

The documentary aired on Sky TG24 on 25 December and on Sky Arte shortly after, and is available on NOW, on demand, and via La Scala TV. Its release coincides with two major anniversaries: 150 years since the composition of Swan Lake by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and the return of Rudolf Nureyev’s historic choreography to the La Scala stage in the 2024–2025 season.

At the centre of the narrative are La Scala Étoile Nicoletta Manni, in the dual role of Odette/Odile, and Principal Dancer Timofej Andrijashenko, who interprets Prince Siegfried. Partners both on stage and in life, they guide the audience through the physical and emotional demands of the production, alongside Ballet Director Frédéric Olivieri.

Conceived as a fly-on-the-wall backstage journey, Il Sogno Bianco follows the entire production process: from the first rehearsal-room sessions with the maîtres de ballet to stage rehearsals and, finally, the opening night. Shot largely in real time, the documentary captures not only the elegance and discipline of classical dance, but also the fatigue, pressure and vulnerability that lie behind the polished surface.
Through Nureyev’s psychologically nuanced interpretation of Swan Lake, the documentary also explores the inner lives of the characters. Siegfried, as Nureyev famously described him, is “an extraordinary man to whom extraordinary things happen”, a figure suspended between desire, illusion and disillusionment. More than a love story, the ballet — and the film that documents it — reflects on ambiguity, on the fragile boundary between white and black, good and evil, reality and enchantment.