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Could it be that Rudolph Nureyev's Carabosse is getting her revenge as his production of Sleeping Beauty is being dropped next season to be replaced by a version by Alexei Ratmansky? Whatever, there seems to be a curse on this Milanese Don Quixote!
Svetlana Zakharova pulled out “due to personal reasons that prevent her leaving Moscow” (replaced by Tamara Rojo); Denis Matvienko's injury forced him to be replaced by Leonid Sarafanov; last week Ivan Vasiliev withdrew because of the after-effects of pneumonia (replaced successfully with local boy, Claudio Coviello); and today it has been announced that Natalia Osipova has been substituted for tonight's performance with Nicoletta Manni, La Scala's new principal. This means that all four of the original guest artists have backed out for one reason or another.
Sarafanov now finds himself paired with Manni for tonight's performance, but no problems there: they already danced together for last Thursday and Saturday's performances. While certain that the last minute cancellation by the Russian star couldn't be due to the fact that she arrived in Milan only on Saturday, and Nureyev's version is very different to other productions she knows well, but it is curious that the theatre underlines the fact that “Natalia Osipova will return on stage on 25 and 27 September”. So it must be a 24-hour ‘flu or similar… The 25th is also the live cinema relay.
However, reports are that Manni's Kitri is wonderful, and if you've come a long way for tonight's performance just for Osipova, don't let your tears make your tickets soggy, but look at this video of Osipova and Sarafanov at La Scala three years ago when they were both marvellous in Nureyev's production.

Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano') about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.
His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman's Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia' column for Dancing Times magazine.
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A little bird on web is twitting around that there will be even a fifth defection…. 🙂 let’s see.
Carabosse seems to be very powerful 😀
La Rojo? I’ve heard!
Un DQ sfortunato, ma dobbiamo essere contenti; le assenze dei grandi russi hanno dato la possibilità ai nostri Coviello e Manni di dimostrare quanto valgono. E forse è la volta buona che la distribuzione delle parti tenga conto che siamo in Italia e che vogliamo vedere danzatori italiani sui nostri palcoscenici e non soltato su quelli stranieri !!!!
I bought tickets for the Osipova-Vasiliev performance on the first day of ticket buying opening (9th July). After some time, I found out that Osipova had been moved to another date with no reason at all. Then Vasiliev withdrew.
I can understand Vasiliev, since there are medical reasons behind that, but not the theatre direction. I don’t agree with Orsola above. When I pay 150 euro to see a performance (the highest priced tickets I found on any theatre I’ve been, included many abroad) I want to see étoiles dancing and not primi ballerini. If you want me to see primi ballerini then lower the price. I don’t pay the same price for casual clothes and for a Versace dress. I cannot know beforehand if the primi ballerini will be up to the task so you cannot say it is the same. It is not the same since I paid to see THAT cast and not another one.
I will send a letter to the theatre direction but I would like to know if somebody else agrees with me on that point. Many people in the audience the night I was in complained and they didn’t even know that the performers had changed since the theatre never bothered to announce it in any way.
In my opinion that is a real shame. Respect the audience, or you will find empty seats next time. I have a lot of other things to say about La Scala, but no wonder, I am sure noone will listen.
Yes I agree with you, you have all the right to be angered. I know it is always a bit of luck if you can see the dancers they announced first or not and there is no guarantee for it. But if many people come especially for the dancers they were prepared to see and even pay more money for it it’s like being tricked. I don’t know if you have a rightful reason for refund though, because they could be saying something unexpected like that just happens. But I wish you luck with it, maybe tell about their reactions on here´, too!
I agree with you Milena. I think that sometime it could happen that somebody have an health problem: I remember when I went to La Scala to see a Giselle with Vasiliev (Vladimir in that case:) ) and Fracci, he had a problem and a wonderful and never enough loved Paolo Bortoluzzi raised from the orchestra to dance instead of him. I mean we are all humans, it is disappointing but it can happen and substitutions sometime even launch great artist (i.e. Fracci) but in this case we reached an unacceptable point.
Too many cases in such a short time for the same ballet, something must be wrong.
It’s not a disclaimer legal line put on the program that will protect the image of the theatre.
I can understand the point of Orsola, regarding the fact that our dancers should dance more, and I ‘m happy to see Italian dancers for sure. I can even decide to pay that horrible price to see them, but not as substitutes and I want to have the possibility to decide. Orsola, what would you think if somebody we love very much would not dance and you would know it just one day before? I’m sure we will not be happy at all to see whoever young Italian dancer instead :).
I arrived from Austria yesterday to see Natalia Osipova in Qon Q. I read here, then checked on La Scala’s site, and found out that she had been replaced. Then arriving for a pre-performance drink I saw Ms Osipova sitting with friends at the bar outside the theater, and when I went to get my tickets she was sitting on the steps outside the artists’ entrance. I don’t understand. I wanted to ask her what was wrong but it felt too invasive.
Now I read from Gramilano’s comment that Tamara Rojo will not dance tomorrow either (my second ticket). Is this true? It says she is performing on La Scala’s website.
For me it really is a Don Q disaster!!!
Yours (angry and sad),
Jonathan
Hi Jonathan, An unconfirmed source says that Tamara Rojo has left Milan and won’t be coming back. But, who knows, there might be a change of plan. Fingers crossed?
I am not asking for a refund, I am only asking why Osipova has been moved to another date first. I understand the medical reasons problems fully not the rest.
Now I am reading that even Osipova will not dance while she was seen perfectly well and alive outside the theatre. There must be something else (and I can sure figure out the reason why) but at least the theatre should have the guts to say what is wrong and not issue two lines without any other explanation to people who pay an unconsiderate amount of money for the privilege to attend shows in a theatre with that heritage.
Sorry but the teather is wrong, the direction should at least apologize and issue a further explanation statement. That out of respect for its paying audience.
Latest blog post says: “And just to put the record straight, a little bird tells me that the La Scala management have known since Easter that Natalia Osipova could not dance on the 22nd as her arrival in Milan couldn’t be until the 21st given her commitment to the Royal Ballet. Was her name kept up just to sell more tickets? If so — and I hope it is just a stupid assumption on my part — it is a very short-sighted gesture, destined to alienate the public of ballet fans, and turn the theatre into even more of a tourists attraction where what happens on stage is less important than the selfie in front of the Royal Box.”
Hey, great to hear that…now I know that shows I was right in my assumptions…If it was badly managed then some manager should be dismissed. If it was done on purpose, then even worse but someone up there should make a fuss and complain. Maybe some journalists who are always happy to get their free tickets and get in.
braaava detto bene¡
Vorrei solo sapere perchè Tamara Rojo non ha ballato il 24! Spero che qualcuno abbia il coraggio di informare gli spettatori che per avere posti decenti a prezzi decenti hanno comprato i biglietti mesi prima e che hanno il diritto di vedere ciò per cui hanno pagato!
According to reliable sources she had good motives for leaving after a disagreement with the management. However, this is second hand information.
Thanks for reply.I thought about something like that…