Russian ballerina Antonina Chapkina is in a stable condition after having been hit by a tram outside Milan's Central Station.
Apparently distracted – she was wearing headphones connected to her phone – she ignored a red traffic light and walked onto the tramlines, though police are examining closed circuit video to confirm the exact dynamics of the accident.
Chapkina was hit on her right side causing her to fall and hit per head heavily on the edge of the pavement; luckily her body didn't go under the tram. A CAT scan has excluded brain damage though she does have cranial fractures. Her condition, which seemed critical in the first hours after the accident, is now stable and she is conscious, though sedated.
Antonina Chapkina is a beautiful and graceful new addition to the La Scala company, having trained at the Bolshoi and the Mikhailovsky in St Petersburg.
La Scala's Managing and Artistic Director, Alexander Pereira, said,
We are awaiting further updates… what has happened is tragic and we all hoping that she will recover as soon as possible.
END
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.
Such a sad news! Wishing her a full recovery, so we can see her back on stage soon…
Oh my goodness
So sad !!!!!
Very sad!
That’s awful.
Wishing her the very best and speediest recovery
Oh my! Thoughts her way for a full recovery
Poor girl,especially because of her profession. I hope can get back as good as she was before the accident.
A life could change in a moment of notice. So terrible when she could have avoided this to happen. Wishing her faster recovery and hoping she will continue to dance.
I hope she has a quick recovery and is dancing wonderfully soon. Tragic accidents like this are becoming more common as people focus too much on things like their smartphones and the like and often are totally unaware of their surroundings, a sad commentary of an avoidable side effect of modern technology .
“Texting while walking” is a huge concern on Canadian streets; so many unnecessay accidents such as this one. So sad.
Peter Crossley – I agree with you – I feel that texting and hands on cell phone usage while driving should have the same ramifications as drinking and driving- I pull over if I get an important call or let it go to voicemail- no phone call or text is worth a precious human life- Canada is probably much better in controlling cell phone usage
Peter Alexander You’re right, I often think it’s time for some regulations, like illegal to use any headphone crossing streets or in subways where you block everybody behind you. In Japan there were already deaths caused because of people falling into the train tracks while playing with their phone.
It is indeed very sad. My sympathies are with her. I hope she has learned her lesson and that she will be able to keep dancing professionally despite her injuries. Despite all the warnings given, people still let themselves become entrapped by the electronic media (iPhones, tablets, apps, and so on) while completely losing track of what is happening physically around them.
Recover soon and be healthy. AND LEARNQ!!
This is simply awful news. She truly danced amazingly when I saw her and I wish her the quickest and most successful recovery. I hope I will see her shine on stage again very soon!!!
God be with you, dear! So many good people here sending powerful healing vibrations.
Why cannot we walk, sit, eat in silence? Why are we so afraid to be alone with ourselves? Why do I see people walking in a beautiful forest with birds singing and they must be talking on their phones, especially so loud disturbing the tranquility?