Yanowsky’s Back! Making a comeback faster than Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra famously retired in 1970 only to make a comeback three years later, after which he continued to sing into the ’90s.
Former Royal Ballet Principal Zenaida Yanowsky is making a faster comeback than Ol’ Blue Eyes.
After 23 years with The Royal Ballet, Zenaida Yanowsky gave her final curtain call on the Covent Garden stage in June of this year. Her final performance at the Royal Opera House was in Marguerite and Armand with Roberto Bolle. Yet at the end of this month she will return to the Royal Opera House to perform in three performances of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland: 27 September, 9 October and 23 October 2017.
Well, it is ‘her’ role. Christopher Wheeldon created the role on her in 2011 and Yanowsky will be back with other members of the original cast: Lauren Cuthbertson as Alice, Edward Watson as the White Rabbit and Steven McRae as the Mad Hatter. The original Jack/Knave of Hearts, Sergei Polunin, will certainly not be reprising his role, and Federico Bonelli will dance the part.
The final of these performances – and the final-final curtain call for Zenaida Yanowsky? – will be relayed live in cinemas on 23 October 2017.
Many performances are already sold out, but ticket availability and full casting is available on the site of The Royal Opera House.
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 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.
