From Milan to Paris: ten-year-old Nathan is off to the Paris Opéra
Ten-year-old Nathan is leaving Milan for Paris this September, joining the Opéra’s Dance School after beating out 50 hopefuls for a spot.
Author: Gramilano
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.
-
-
The man behind a fake “ancient” amphitheatre finishes behind bars
A hillside “archaeological site” with ancient Neolithic and Greco-Roman artefacts, impressive enough to charge a €40 entrance fee. Except it wasn’t ancient at all.
-
news | dance | obituaries | photography
Dance photographer Elliott Franks dies at 62
The talented, well-respected, and much-loved photographer Elliott Franks has died at his London home at age 62.
-
Nutcracker and Swan Lake at risk: fraud case opened over Grigorovich’s ballet legacy
Audiences at the Bolshoi Theatre could find themselves without 11 of its well-known productions after a dispute over the rights to Yuri Grigorovich’s choreographic legacy.
-
Rossini Opera Festival 2027 – two new productions: La donna del lago and Tancredi
As the 2026 Rossini Opera Festival opened at Pesaro, the Festival announced its plans for 2027.
-
Interview: Leone Magiera – Pavarotti and me, by the man who conducted his first and last performances
Leone Magiera, the pianist and conductor, now 92, reflects on life with his dearest friend, Luciano Pavarotti.
-
Emanuela Tagliavia’s Gemina Lux with La Scala ballerinas Caterina Bianchi and Letizia Masini at the Fisiko Festival
La Scala ballerinas Caterina Bianchi and Letizia Masini appear in Gemina Lux, a new work by Emanuela Tagliavia for the Fisiko Festival.
-
dance | photography | reviews
Review and photo album: Youth Grand Prix’s Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow in Como
Graham Spicer photographs the Youth Grand Prix annual event in Como with ‘Stars of Today’, certainly, and surely some ‘Stars of Tomorrow’ too.
-
dance | interviews | news
Interview: Mikhail Baryshnikov pays tribute to the great theatre director Bob Wilson with a new film, DON Q
Mikhail Baryshnikov, one year after the death of his friend and collaborator, the director Robert Wilson, is working on completing their last project.
-
Interview: Elena Moșuc – performing with sincerity, maturity and deep respect
Graham Spicer talks with Elena Moșuc after her latest debut in the notoriously difficult role of Abigaille in Verdi’s Nabucco.
-
Luciano Pavarotti House Museum – remembering the singer and the man
Just outside Modena, near where Luciano Pavarotti was born, is the Casa Museo Luciano Pavarotti, the house he built and opened to the public in 2015.
-
Tulsa Ballet Artistic Director Marcello Angelini Announces Retirement
After more than 30 years at the helm of Tulsa Ballet, Artistic Director Marcello Angelini will retire at the end of the 2026-2027 Season.
-
Roberto Bolle to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Italian dancer Roberto Bolle is one of a group in the Live Theatre/Live Performance category selected to receive stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
-
John Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet returns to Rome at the vast Circus Maximus
From tonight at Circus Maximus – ancient Rome’s chariot-racing stadium – audiences of 6,000 can see John Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet.
-
The McRae / Vassilev Project with Royal Ballet Principal Dancer Steven McRae and Concert Master Vasko Vassilev
Royal Ballet Principal Dancer Steven McRae and Principal Guest Concert Master Vasko Vassilev unite for a showcase of exceptional music and dance.
-
American Ballet Theatre announces 2026 Fall Season and 2027 Spring Season at The David H. Koch Theater
American Ballet Theatre’s two seasons at the David H. Koch Theater in 2026-2027 were announced by Artistic Director Susan Jaffe.
-
American Ballet Theatre dancer SunMi Park is promoted to the rank of Principal Dancer
American Ballet Theatre Artistic Director Susan Jaffe announced that SunMi Park has been promoted to the rank of Principal Dancer, from 1 September 2026.
-
American Ballet Theatre announces a new Principal Dancer and six new soloists
American Ballet Theatre Artistic Director Susan Jaffe has announced a new Principal Dancer and six new Soloists.
-
dance | interviews | top dance
Interview: Jacopo Tissi is keeping it simple – finding balance in a fast-paced world
Graham Spicer talks to Jacopo Tissi on life after the Bolshoi and being a Principal Dancer with the Dutch National Ballet.
-
Fondo Niccolò Piccinni presents the Garda Festival 2026
The Garda Festival runs from 24 July until 1 August on or near the shores of the great Italian lake. All events are free.
-
news | dance | music & opera
Spoleto Festival concludes, broadening audience’s tastes while reaching an all-time box office record
The 69th record-breaking edition of the Spoleto Festival, the first under the leadership of the new Artistic Director Daniele Cipriani, draws to a close this evening.
-
The Royal Ballet School’s 100th graduate year achieves a 100% employment rate
In The Royal Ballet School’s 100th graduating class, this year consisting of 30 students, all have secured contracts with companies as they start their professional journeys.
-
Ballet stars come together for Verdensballetten 2026, on tour in Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland
Tonight is the opening of the Verdensballetten (World Ballet) in the garden of the Royal Garden Society in Copenhagen, and it is on tour until 30 August.
-
Milan gardens named in honour of Eufemia Brancato – Queen of the tutu
Today, a garden in Milan was named after a costume maker, a woman known affectionately as the “Queen of the tutu” – Eufemia Brancato.
-
American Ballet Theatre’s Jake Roxander is promoted to Principal Dancer
American Ballet Theatre dancer Jake Roxander has been promoted to Principal Dancer as of 1 September 2026.
-
dance | interviews | top dance
Interview: León and Lightfoot at The Royal Ballet – life, age, and change… a very beautiful message
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.
-
Valentino Zucchetti leaves The Royal Ballet
First Soloist Valentino Zucchetti is to leave The Royal Ballet after 16 years to pursue his choreographic and producing career.
-
An unpublished ‘Dixit’ by Donizetti has been discovered in the library of a seminary in Bergamo
An unpublished work by the young Gaetano Donizetti, consisting of four pages, sets to music the text of Psalm 110, Dixit Dominus.
-
Interview: English National Ballet’s Anri Sugiura – dancing with ease, softness and elegance
English National Ballet’s First Artist Anri Sugiura shares her journey from Japan to London, her debut at the Royal Albert Hall, and her pursuit of excellence.
-
dance | news | obituaries
Davis Aloschi, a 15-year-old La Scala ballet student, dies in tragic accident
Davis Aloschi, a 15-year-old student at La Scala’s ballet school, died in a crash between two scooters.
End of content
End of content