I’m happy that the Mayor of Rome, Ignazio Marino, and Sovrintendente Fuortes, have had faith in my passion. My heart has always remained in Italy and this theatre needs people who believe passionately in dance.
Eleonora Abbagnato was speaking at a press conference in Rome, her first appearance after her nomination as the Rome Opera Ballet‘s new director. A previous director of the company, Carla Fracci, was criticised for hogging too much stage time, though because of her age the opportunities were limited. Abbagnato is just 36.
I could dance, certainly, but I want to think first about the dancers of the company. My intention is to remain as an Étoile at the Paris Opera where, incidentally, the new director, Benjamin Millepied, is my age. I don’t discount that one day I might dance for the Rome audience, who knows? We are also looking at the possibility of bringing the Rome company to Paris.
Luckily, the Rome Opera now has a Sovrintendente who loves dance, something that has been lacking for years.
There was some murmuring among those present about how a Paris Opera Étoile could also direct a company in Rome. What could a part-time director bring to the company?
I want to bring to the company my experience at the Paris Opera, where we put on more than 150 ballet performances a year, and work alongside the biggest names in international choreography: Kylian, Forsythe, Neumeier, Nureyev. I would like to bring some of the big names to Rome and raise the level of the company to equal that at La Scala… maybe even better it.
There is a great deal of positivity, and a great energy here. I want the millions of people who come to Rome to come and see dance too.
Over the last couple of years, the company has been in dire straits financially, and jobs have been at risk.
Long-term contracts for the dancers are crucial for the growth of the corps de ballet. It is also important that we can maintain the same teachers and coaches to guide them over a period.
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Italian ballerina Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
NYC Dance Project’s Ken Browar and Deborah Ory have created a luxuriously illustrated book of 200 photos to celebrate the Martha Graham Dance Company at 100.
Graham Watts sees Lyon Opera Ballet dance two pieces by Merce Cunningham – Beach Birds and Biped – part of the Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels festival.
Graham Spicer talks with Royal Ballet dancers Ella Newton Severgnini and Francisco Serrano who dance the leading roles in Wheeldon’s Like Water for Chocolate.
Graham Spicer talked with choreographers Sol León and Paul Lightfoot – León and Lightfoot – after the opening night of their new double bill for The Royal Ballet.
