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Alexander Pereira

Bartoli, Grigolo, Damrau et al will sing live from their homes tonight

1 May 2020 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Maggio Musicale Fiorentino

The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino has announced an at-home concert featuring some of the world’s greatest opera stars. A concert on 1 May at 9 pm (21.00 CEST - 15.00 EDT - 20.00 BST), organised by … [Read more...] about Bartoli, Grigolo, Damrau et al will sing live from their homes tonight

Photo Album: Mirella Freni at La Scala

10 February 2020 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Mirella Freni in La bohème in 1963 photo by Piccagliani crop

Mirella Freni sang at La Scala from 1962 until 1996 (an account of those years, with comments by Mirella Freni, is here). La Scala issued a statement, which reads: The news of Mirella Freni’s … [Read more...] about Photo Album: Mirella Freni at La Scala

La Scala stages an evening of ballet to raise funds to aid the flooded Teatro Fenice in Venice

15 November 2019 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Symphony in C with Maria Celeste Losa and Marco Agostino, photo by Brescia e Amisano, Teatro alla Scala

On Friday 29 November, La Scala will add an extra performance of its triple bill which opens tomorrow night, and the entire proceeds will go to aid Venice’s Teatro Fenice which finds itself flooded … [Read more...] about La Scala stages an evening of ballet to raise funds to aid the flooded Teatro Fenice in Venice

“Don’t abandon me” – Cecilia Bartoli cancels three operas at La Scala

22 June 2019 by Gramilano 4 Comments

Cecilia Bartoli and Alexander Pereira announce the Handel opera project © Marco Brescia, Teatro alla Scala 2018

A series of emails between Cecilia Bartoli’s husband, Oliver Widmer, and the Intendant of La Scala, Alexander Pereira, confirm that the singer has withdrawn from all three Handel operas that were … [Read more...] about “Don’t abandon me” – Cecilia Bartoli cancels three operas at La Scala

La Scala gives back a 3 million euro donation

18 March 2019 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Alexander Pereira at La Scala

La Scala’s board of directors met today to discuss Saudi Arabia’s 15 million euro donation to the theatre's coffers. Three million have already been advanced with an additional 100,000 euros given to … [Read more...] about La Scala gives back a 3 million euro donation

Photo Album: first look at La Scala’s new Attila with Ildar Abdrazakov

30 November 2018 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Attila, Teatro alla Scala with Ildar Abdrazakov photo Brescia e Amisano, Teatro alla Scala 2018 01

Attila opens La Scala’s 2018-2019 Season and runs from 11 December 2018 to 8 January 2019. CREATIVE TEAM Conductor - Riccardo Chailly Staging - Davide Livermore Sets - Giò Forma Costumes - Gianluca … [Read more...] about Photo Album: first look at La Scala’s new Attila with Ildar Abdrazakov

La Scala, Milan: Opera and Recital Season 2018 – 2019

30 May 2018 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Teatro alla Scala

OPERA SEASON 2018 - 2019 La Scala announced its 2018-2019 Opera season today with 15 titles, nine of which are new productions, and two are La Scala premieres. At the heart of the season remains the … [Read more...] about La Scala, Milan: Opera and Recital Season 2018 – 2019

Cecilia Bartoli Baroque Project announced at La Scala – Giulio Cesare, Semele, Ariodante

24 May 2018 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Cecilia Bartoli with Alexander Pereira © Marco Brescia,  Teatro alla Scala 2018

Today, La Scala announced a project to widen the knowledge and appreciation of Baroque music, in a country that has produced so much, yet now often overlooks a genre that is booming in other parts of … [Read more...] about Cecilia Bartoli Baroque Project announced at La Scala – Giulio Cesare, Semele, Ariodante

Three for free – La Scala’s surprise opera party with Eva Mei, Giorgio Berrugi and Markus Werba

13 February 2018 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

from left, James Vaughan, Markus Werba, Eva Mei and Giorgio Berrugi   © Brescia e Amisano, Teatro alla Scala 2018

How felicitous when a disappointing cancellation turns into a surprise party. La Scala heard shortly before midday on Sunday that Sonya Yoncheva, due to give a recital that evening, was suffering … [Read more...] about Three for free – La Scala’s surprise opera party with Eva Mei, Giorgio Berrugi and Markus Werba

Photo album: first look at Heinz Spoerli’s Goldberg Variations at La Scala

25 January 2018 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Goldberg Variationen ph Brescia e Amisano Teatro alla Scala 002 K65A8091 x (64)

"Every time I listen to Bach I feel my heart jumps a beat. His music is for me an inexhaustible source of inspiration and has been since my early twenties, which was even before, in Düsseldorf, when I … [Read more...] about Photo album: first look at Heinz Spoerli’s Goldberg Variations at La Scala

More than 10% tune in to see Andrea Chénier live from La Scala

8 December 2017 by Gramilano 2 Comments

Andrea Chénier © Brescia e Amisano,Teatro alla Scala 2017 03

11,1% of Italy's viewing public tuned in to watch Andrea Chénier transmitted yesterday evening, live from La Scala. 2,077,000 viewers followed the production, with over 11 million people watching … [Read more...] about More than 10% tune in to see Andrea Chénier live from La Scala

Sneak preview: Hänsel and Gretel at La Scala, Milan

2 September 2017 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Hänsel and Gretel, photos by Brescia and Amisano, Teatro alla Scala 04

Tonight, a new productions of Engelbert Humperdinck’s Hänsel and Gretel opens in Milan at Teatro alla Scala. The cast features opera students from La Scala’s prestigious Academy. This, however, is … [Read more...] about Sneak preview: Hänsel and Gretel at La Scala, Milan

Good news… Frédéric Olivieri’s back to head the La Scala Ballet

5 May 2017 by Gramilano 8 Comments

Frederic Olivieri, photo by Brescia e Amisano, Teatro alla Scala

Frédéric Olivieri has been named as the next director of the La Scala Ballet Company. His contract will run for the next three years. La Scala’s Intendant, Alexander Pereira, told the corps de … [Read more...] about Good news… Frédéric Olivieri’s back to head the La Scala Ballet

La Scala Ballet’s programme change for the US – with Bolle, Nuñez and Copeland

28 March 2017 by Gramilano 3 Comments

Marianela Nuñez, photo by Carlos Villamayor

The previously announced ballet to be performed at California’s Segerstrom Center by La Scala’s Ballet Company was Mauro Bigonzetti’s Cinderella, a ballet created for the opening of La Scala’s ballet … [Read more...] about La Scala Ballet’s programme change for the US – with Bolle, Nuñez and Copeland

14 minutes of applause for Anna Netrebko at La Scala in La traviata [interview and photos]

12 March 2017 by Gramilano 8 Comments

La traviata with Anna Netrebko, Francesco Meli and Leo Nucci © Teatro alla Scala, Amisano e Brescia, 2017 06

Anna Netrebko has returned to La Scala to sing Violetta as she sings ‘addio’ to the role. She will sing in a Traviata once more in Paris next February, and then that’s it for the curvy Russian and the … [Read more...] about 14 minutes of applause for Anna Netrebko at La Scala in La traviata [interview and photos]

In conversation with Luca Pisaroni: back to Milan with his La Scala debut

21 October 2016 by Gramilano 8 Comments

Luca Pisaroni as Leporello in Don Giovanni at Glyndebourne   photo by Bill Cooper

Italian bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni will make his house debut at La Scala in 2017 as Leporello. It will be only the second opera he has sung in Italy. The performances of Don Giovanni are just before … [Read more...] about In conversation with Luca Pisaroni: back to Milan with his La Scala debut

The real reason Mauro Bigonzetti has left La Scala Ballet?

11 October 2016 by Gramilano 4 Comments

Though this is ‘just a blog’, I decided to leave out backstage gossip from the report of Mauro Bigonzetti’s addio to La Scala. However, as one of Italy’s top newspaper’s has done just that… why … [Read more...] about The real reason Mauro Bigonzetti has left La Scala Ballet?

Mauro Bigonzetti resigns as director of La Scala Ballet Company

8 October 2016 by Gramilano 15 Comments

Mauro Bigonzetti, who was appointed as head of the La Scala Ballet at the beginning of this year, has been forced to step down. A severe back problem has persisted since the beginning of the summer … [Read more...] about Mauro Bigonzetti resigns as director of La Scala Ballet Company

La Scala dancers protest over planned new ballet season

10 May 2016 by Gramilano 2 Comments

At the close of today's press conference at La Scala to announce Mauro Bigonzetti's 2016-2017 season, fifty or so company dancers arrived to protest at the repertoire proposed. Bigonzetti - a … [Read more...] about La Scala dancers protest over planned new ballet season

Alexander Pereira’s new season at La Scala is rejected by the Lombardy Region

5 May 2016 by Gramilano 4 Comments

La Scala’s Chief Executive, Alexander Pereira, saw his proposal for the theatre’s 2016-2017 season rejected yesterday by the Lombardy Region, one of the founding members of the Scala Foundation. … [Read more...] about Alexander Pereira’s new season at La Scala is rejected by the Lombardy Region

La Scala ballerina, Antonina Chapkina, in intensive care after hit by tram

5 April 2016 by Gramilano 16 Comments

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 … [Read more...] about La Scala ballerina, Antonina Chapkina, in intensive care after hit by tram

Il trionfo del tempo e del disinganno at La Scala… what a disillusion

7 February 2016 by Gramilano 3 Comments

Il trionfo del tempo e del disinganno (The Triumph of Time and Disillusionment) is an oratorio by Handel which the Opernhaus in Zurich decided to stage as an opera in 2003, when La Scala’s CEO … [Read more...] about Il trionfo del tempo e del disinganno at La Scala… what a disillusion

Mauro Bigonzetti to be the new director of ballet at La Scala

27 January 2016 by Gramilano 37 Comments

In today’s edition of La Repubblica, it is reported that the new director of the corps de ballet at La Scala will be Mauro Bigonzetti. The announcement is not yet official but apparently the … [Read more...] about Mauro Bigonzetti to be the new director of ballet at La Scala

Giovanna d’Arco – the background of La Scala’s latest production

6 December 2015 by Gramilano 11 Comments

On 7 December 2015, La Scala’s 2015-2016 Season opens with Giuseppe Verdi’s Giovanna d’Arco, which had its premiere at La Scala on 15 February 1845, but hasn’t been staged at the Milanese theatre … [Read more...] about Giovanna d’Arco – the background of La Scala’s latest production

Makhar Vaziev leaves La Scala to head the Bolshoi Ballet Company

26 October 2015 by Gramilano 10 Comments

Makhar Vaziev will leave his position as head of the La Scala Ballet Company and take over at the Bolshoi Ballet on 18 March 2016. The Director of the Bolshoi Theatre, Vladimir Urin, had already … [Read more...] about Makhar Vaziev leaves La Scala to head the Bolshoi Ballet Company

La Scala’s ousted singer returns for Cenerentola at La Scala

3 October 2015 by Gramilano 3 Comments

Alexander Pereira’s appointment as General Manager of La Scala came with the usual chorus of protests which accompanies almost all changes at this highly conservative theatre, and there was even a … [Read more...] about La Scala’s ousted singer returns for Cenerentola at La Scala

The BBC interviews Rome Opera’s chief: It was like a war

11 August 2015 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

A few months ago, I was contacted by the BBC about an upcoming Peter Day's World of Business episode, which was to take a look at opera funding. They could hardly do such a programme – which also goes … [Read more...] about The BBC interviews Rome Opera’s chief: It was like a war

Overwhelming applause for Gruberova and her queens at La Scala

27 July 2015 by Gramilano 1 Comment

You shouldn't reveal a lady’s age, they say, but how can I not say that Edita Gruberova is 68 years-old when she took on the final scenes from three of Donizetti’s most demanding operas in one … [Read more...] about Overwhelming applause for Gruberova and her queens at La Scala

La Scala pays tribute to Fiorenza Cossotto

10 May 2015 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Yesterday, La Scala celebrated Fiorenza Cossotto’s 80th birthday with a conference in the Toscanini Foyer. Joining her were Sabino Lenoci and Giancarlo Landini from L’Opera Magazine. The idea of … [Read more...] about La Scala pays tribute to Fiorenza Cossotto

Pereira announces that Carla Fracci will return to the stage of La Scala

6 April 2015 by Gramilano 3 Comments

La Scala's new sovrintendente, Alexander Pereira, has announced that Carla Fracci, the Italian ballerina par excellence, will return to the Milanese theatre that witnessed many of her triumphs during … [Read more...] about Pereira announces that Carla Fracci will return to the stage of La Scala

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GRAHAM SPICER

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. I was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. My scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times. I write the ‘Danza in Italia’ column for Dancing Times magazine.

You can find me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, or follow my Facebook page.

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