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Baroque

[Review] Italian countertenor Raffaele Pe’s exuberant Purcell recital

3 December 2022 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

RAFFAELE PE

Italian countertenor Raffaele Pe has had somewhat of a slow-burning career. He’s now 37 and a father of three, yet his first professional engagement was just eight years ago. The late start seems to … [Read more...] about [Review] Italian countertenor Raffaele Pe’s exuberant Purcell recital

New charity raises £100,000 to aid period-instrument ensembles

2 February 2021 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Continuo foundation

After the widespread concert cancellations since March 2020, former City director and classical music lover Tina Vadaneaux founded a new charity, Continuo Foundation (“Continuo”). It was established … [Read more...] about New charity raises £100,000 to aid period-instrument ensembles

[Interview] Cecilia Bartoli: Baroque music is for the soul

17 January 2021 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Cecilia Bartoli and the Les Musiciens du Prince of Monte Carlo © 2018 Alain Hanel,OMC

Why is Baroque music so popular? Baroque music is for the soul, connected to a period when there was great freedom of expression, which today we’ve lost. There is an aspect of Baroque music that … [Read more...] about [Interview] Cecilia Bartoli: Baroque music is for the soul

Countertenor Franco Fagioli’s new CD of Baroque music to be released in May

31 March 2020 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Franco Fagioli's Leonardo Vinci – Veni, Vidi, Vinci crop

Franco Fagioli’s latest solo album presents rediscovered treasures by Neapolitan opera composer Leonardo Vinci. Fagioli – the first countertenor to sign an exclusive recording deal with Deutsche … [Read more...] about Countertenor Franco Fagioli’s new CD of Baroque music to be released in May

Interview with contralto Delphine Galou: “making music together with love”

2 July 2019 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Delphine Galou © Giulia Papetti

Two new recordings for Naïve's Vivaldi Edition have just been released by the Accademia Bizantina, conducted by Ottavio Dantone. These albums are the 59th and 60th in the series which aims to record … [Read more...] about Interview with contralto Delphine Galou: “making music together with love”

Cecilia Bartoli pulls out of her Baroque project at La Scala in October

22 June 2019 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Cecilia Bartoli announcement

Cecilia Bartoli has cancelled her participation in the baroque trilogy at La Scala, which was created around her.  The project will present three Handel operas over the next three seasons, in the … [Read more...] about Cecilia Bartoli pulls out of her Baroque project at La Scala in October

Alek Shrader directs Dido & Aeneas in the Catacombs of New York

1 June 2019 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

The Angel's Share Dido & Aeneas, photo by Kevin Condon 01

Henry Purcell's Dido & Aeneas will be presented in the Catacombs of the Green-Wood Cemetery, in Brooklyn, New York, with performances from 4 – 8 June. The run will launch the second season of the … [Read more...] about Alek Shrader directs Dido & Aeneas in the Catacombs of New York

Countertenor Philippe Jaroussky talks about his new album “Ombra mai fu”

23 March 2019 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Philippe Jaroussky, Ombra mai fu, photo by Josef Fischnaller, © Parlophone Records Ltd crop

French countertenor Philippe Jaroussky explores the arias of Francesco Cavalli on his new album Ombra mai fu, which was released digitally on 8 March and physically on CD and vinyl on 22 March. Why … [Read more...] about Countertenor Philippe Jaroussky talks about his new album “Ombra mai fu”

In conversation with Jakub Józef Orliński

22 October 2018 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Jakub Józef Orliński

Jakub Józef Orliński is the new countertenor name to add to an ever-growing roster of artists who are selling discs and selling out concert halls in this once rarefied area of the vocal arts. Polish … [Read more...] about In conversation with Jakub Józef Orliński

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

Interview with Cecilia Bartoli on religion, the Sistine Chapel and Salzburg

17 November 2017 by Gramilano 1 Comment

sol gabetta cecilia bartoli

This evening, Cecilia Bartoli will become the first woman to sing in the Sistine Chapel. Though, strictly speaking, she was already the first – albeit in a private form – when she recorded the disc … [Read more...] about Interview with Cecilia Bartoli on religion, the Sistine Chapel and Salzburg

Preview peek at La Scala’s new production of Tamerlano starring Domingo, Mehta, Fagioli, Crebassa and Schiavo

12 September 2017 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Tamerlano   Placido Domingo, photo by Brescia and Amisano   Teatro alla Scala 2017 02

La Scala’s Baroque Orchestra returns, after last year’s successful Il trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno, for a new production of Handel’s Tamerlano, again conducted by Diego Fasolis. An … [Read more...] about Preview peek at La Scala’s new production of Tamerlano starring Domingo, Mehta, Fagioli, Crebassa and Schiavo

Claudio Monteverdi, opera’s first master, was born 450 years ago

12 May 2017 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Claudio Monteverdi, engraved portrait from Fiori poetici , 1644

Two events make 1567 a watershed year in the history of music's relationship to words. In Rome, Palestrina (c. 1525- 1594), the greatest master of Italian Renaissance polyphony, published his most … [Read more...] about Claudio Monteverdi, opera’s first master, was born 450 years ago

Cecilia Bartoli and Antonio Pappano in conversation and concert in Rome

30 January 2017 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Bartoli   Decca

Cecilia Bartoli and Antonio Pappano celebrated Mozart’s 261st birthday with a concert in Rome. Pappano was conducting his orchestra and chorus of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia at the Parco … [Read more...] about Cecilia Bartoli and Antonio Pappano in conversation and concert in Rome

Cecilia Bartoli – the enchantress casts her spell at the Lucerne Festival

10 September 2016 by Gramilano 4 Comments

After a couple of years of not hearing La Bartoli live, I was a little apprehensive before her concert at the Lucerne Culture and Congress Centre, KKL, after having read Rupert Christiansen’s … [Read more...] about Cecilia Bartoli – the enchantress casts her spell at the Lucerne Festival

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

Coin du Roi’s Serse is musically on the right track

11 June 2015 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

In a climate of crises and cuts, how glorious that a Baroque formation has been created in Italy. Coin du Roi opened their first season, which consists of three titles, with Handel’s Serse in Milan. … [Read more...] about Coin du Roi’s Serse is musically on the right track

Cecilia Bartoli to head Monte-Carlo Opera’s new baroque ensemble

29 April 2015 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Les Musiciens du Prince is a new baroque group under the umbrella organisation of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo which will have Cecilia Bartoli as its artistic director. She has signed a six-year contract … [Read more...] about Cecilia Bartoli to head Monte-Carlo Opera’s new baroque ensemble

Cecilia Bartoli: “Contemporary composers can’t write for opera singers like me”

13 October 2014 by Gramilano 7 Comments

I've been following this project for eight years and I've been to St Petersburg many times in train or by ship, because I don't like flying; one of the most beautiful trips was on the icebreaker from … [Read more...] about Cecilia Bartoli: “Contemporary composers can’t write for opera singers like me”

Cecilia Bartoli on discovering a new composer, vocal styles, and bella Italia

19 September 2012 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Cecilia Bartoli's new album will be on the shelves in a couple of weeks' time. If Mission is successful it should put early Baroque composer Agostino Steffani (1655-1728) back on the musical map. He … [Read more...] about Cecilia Bartoli on discovering a new composer, vocal styles, and bella Italia

The Bartoli investigation continues with a crime writer and a priest who wrote operas in secret…

21 July 2012 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Decca continues its cat and mouse game, urging Cecilia Bartoli fans to 'investigate' her latest project, Mission. The new YouTube video with the second 'clue' takes us inside Radio Svizzera Italiana's … [Read more...] about The Bartoli investigation continues with a crime writer and a priest who wrote operas in secret…

Acclaimed baroque orchestra La Petite Bande will fold after spending cuts

28 June 2012 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

From January 2013 La Petite Bande will cease to have state funding. The Netherlands' baroque orchestra was formed in 1972 by Sigiswald Kuijken, but they say that the elimination of subsidy … [Read more...] about Acclaimed baroque orchestra La Petite Bande will fold after spending cuts

Vivica Genaux: a bit like dancing on pointe: bizarre and unnatural, but compelling when done well

1 November 2011 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Coloratura singing, as a wise observer remarked, is a bit like dancing on pointe: bizarre and unnatural, but powerfully compelling when done well. Vivica Genaux does it very well indeed. The … [Read more...] about Vivica Genaux: a bit like dancing on pointe: bizarre and unnatural, but compelling when done well

Anna Caterina Antonacci ‘simply stunning’ at the MITO Festival in Milan

13 September 2011 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

It may be a cliché, but Anna Caterina Antonacci has, like a fine Italian wine, got better with time. Twenty years ago she was floundering with vocal problems, and it was probably this that gave her … [Read more...] about Anna Caterina Antonacci ‘simply stunning’ at the MITO Festival in Milan

Cecilia Bartoli and her (highly personal) view of the Italian music scene

17 February 2011 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Looking at the thriving specialist ensembles working from and in Italy today, Bartoli looks like a pioneer, but, she says, in straitened economic times it's not easy for musicians. Long based in Rome, … [Read more...] about Cecilia Bartoli and her (highly personal) view of the Italian music scene

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NEWS

New York City Ballet 2023 Spring Season is announced

Principal Brandon Lawrence to leave Birmingham Royal Ballet to join Ballett Zürich

Two new opera recordings to be released by Warner Classics/Erato

Four new Principal dancers for New York City Ballet

LaScalaTv, La Scala’s new streaming platform, is now live

Royal Ballet principal dancer Laura Morera to retire

Pam Tanowitz’s Secret Things, her second world premiere for The Royal Ballet this season

Prix de Lausanne 2023 – the full lineup

Principal dancer Jared Angle to give final performance with NYCB

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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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