Sneak peek at Wheeldon’s Strapless for The Royal Ballet with Osipova, Cuthbertson, Watson and Ball

ByGramilano Reading Time: 2 minutes
Natalia Osipova, Matthew Ball and Edward Watson – photo by Andrej Uspenski , ROH
, and – photo by Andrej Uspenski , ROH

Tomorrow night, Friday 12 February, The embarks in a run of its new mixed programme, which features three pieces by : After the Rain, Within the Golden Hour and the world premiere of Strapless.

Strapless is inspired by the scandalous Portrait of Madame X painted by John Singer Sargent in 1884. It is Wheeldon’s eighth work for The Royal Ballet.

Lauren Cuthbertson with Christopher Wheeldon – photo by Bill Cooper, ROH
with – photo by Bill Cooper, ROH

With one strap painted hanging suggestively off her shoulder, the portrait shocked Parisian society and humiliated the beautiful and sophisticated society belle, Virgine Amélie Gautreau, played by Natalia Osipova and Lauren Cuthbertson.

Natalia Osipova, Matthew Ball and Edward Watson – photo by Andrej Uspenski , ROH
Natalia Osipova, Matthew Ball and Edward Watson – photo by Andrej Uspenski , ROH

Sargent, played by Edward Watson and Valeri Hristov, repainted the portrait, but the damage had been done… Gautreau had been outcast by society, her reputation in ruins.

 

 

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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.

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