La strada The Road is Federico Fellini's 1954 Oscar-winning film, the moving story of Gelsomina, a childishly naïve young woman who is sold by her mother to a travelling circus performer and still manages to find hope and wonder in the midst of a difficult life.

From 1952 to 1979, the famous Italian director worked closely with composer Nino Rota. Rota's score for La strada masterfully conveys moods ranging from energy to poignancy, and shows his skill with the means of musical expression in the portrayal of his characters. A dozen years after the film's release, Milan's La Scala, one of the world's leading opera houses, asked Rota to compose a version of La strada, a ballet that was first performed in 1966.

This production, which premiered at the Gärtnerplatztheater Munich, premiered on July 12, 2018, with a cast and crew that included, Marco Goecke, one of today's leading choreographers, tells the thrilling story in ballet language.