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Benjamin Britten

­­­­[Interview] Designer Tom Pye on death threats, Cinderella – and cowboys

19 March 2023 by Paul Arrowsmith Leave a Comment

Tom Pye with the Cinderella Palace set at the Royal Opera House Production Workshop in Thurrock, January 2023. Photo by Andrej Uspenski

Guest author Paul Arrowsmith talks to Tom Pye, the designer of The Royal Ballet’s new production of Cinderella. Tom Pye has reimagined anew Frederick Ashton’s 75-year-old ballet Cinderella, for The … [Read more...] about ­­­­[Interview] Designer Tom Pye on death threats, Cinderella – and cowboys

The lonely father – Jonathan Gray reviews a new biography of the choreographer John Cranko

3 January 2023 by Jonathan Gray Leave a Comment

Cranko & Haydee in rehearsal ph. Andreas Heumann crop

I’ve always been interested in how some theatrical works survive the years, and some do not. Giacomo Meyerbeer, for example, was probably the most famous opera composer of the middle years of the 19th … [Read more...] about The lonely father – Jonathan Gray reviews a new biography of the choreographer John Cranko

[Review] Birmingham Royal Ballet triple bill ‘Into the Music’

3 November 2022 by Matthew Paluch 1 Comment

Forgotten Land

Guest author Matthew Paluch sees the Birmingham Royal Ballet triple bill 'Into the Music': Kylián's Forgotten Land; Runacre-Temple's Hotel; Scholz's The Seventh Symphony TitleInto the … [Read more...] about [Review] Birmingham Royal Ballet triple bill ‘Into the Music’

David Hallberg dances with the Australian Ballet for a live-streamed programme

28 May 2022 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

02 Kunstkamer - The Australian Ballet, Sydney, photo by Daniel Boud

The Australian Ballet presents Kunstkamer, one of the most ambitious contemporary dance productions to appear in the company’s repertoire. It will be streamed live from the Arts Centre in Melbourne … [Read more...] about David Hallberg dances with the Australian Ballet for a live-streamed programme

The Royal Opera House: opera, ballet, cinema in 2022

16 December 2021 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Marcelino Sambé and Francesca Hayward in Christopher Wheeldon's Like Water For Chocolate - The Royal Ballet 2021 ROH, photo by Rick Guest crop

In January 2022, The Royal Opera Company will celebrate its 75th anniversary. On 14 January 1947, the 'Covent Garden Opera Company' (its name was changed to The Royal Opera in 1968) performed Carmen. … [Read more...] about The Royal Opera House: opera, ballet, cinema in 2022

On Site Opera presents Britten’s The Turn of the Screw at the stunning Wave Hill estate in the Bronx

13 October 2019 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Jennifer Check as the Governess in The Turn of the Screw, photo by Angela Gaul

On Site Opera will present Benjamin Britten’s The Turn of the Screw, at Wave Hill, a stunning 28-acre historic estate and now public gardens in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, from 25 to 27 … [Read more...] about On Site Opera presents Britten’s The Turn of the Screw at the stunning Wave Hill estate in the Bronx

Balanchine’s Dream sprinkles its magic fairy dust over La Scala for the last time

29 June 2017 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Alessandro Grillo, Emanuela Montanari and Mariafrancesca Garritano

In the ‘60s, A Midsummer Night’s Dream was all the rage: Benjamin Britten’s opera premiered in 1960, Balanchine’s ballet opened in 1962, Ashton’s The Dream came along in 1964, and Peter Hall’s film … [Read more...] about Balanchine’s Dream sprinkles its magic fairy dust over La Scala for the last time

Joyce DiDonato reveals her Desert Island Discs

26 September 2016 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Music runs to the very core of mezzosoprano Joyce DiDonato, guest on yesterday’s BBC Radio 4’s long-running  and beautifully judged programme, Desert Island Discs. Even if she is tired before a … [Read more...] about Joyce DiDonato reveals her Desert Island Discs

Photos – First look at Britten’s Turn of the Screw at La Scala

14 September 2016 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Benjamin Britten’s masterpiece Turn of the Screw opens tonight at La Scala and runs until 17 October. It will be the first time that the opera has been sung in English at the theatre as it’s … [Read more...] about Photos – First look at Britten’s Turn of the Screw at La Scala

Benjamin Britten in photos with Frederick Ashton, W H Auden, E M Forster et al

21 November 2013 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Rare photographs of Benjamin Britten including family and personal snapshots from his boyhood and professional life are on display at at the National Portrait Gallery, ahead of his centenary this … [Read more...] about Benjamin Britten in photos with Frederick Ashton, W H Auden, E M Forster et al

Pavarotti water, Bocelli wine, now Britten beer

27 May 2013 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

San Pellegrino teamed up with the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation to create special bottles of Big Lucy mineral water.  Andrea Bocelli, together with brother Alberto, produce a range of wines from … [Read more...] about Pavarotti water, Bocelli wine, now Britten beer

Britten and Pears’ admiration for Ravi Shankar: Unbelievable skill and invention

13 May 2013 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

A 1950s note written on a letterhead when composer Benjamin Britten and his partner, the singer Peter Pears, were saying in Mumbai's Taj Mahal hotel has come to light, which shows their admiration for … [Read more...] about Britten and Pears’ admiration for Ravi Shankar: Unbelievable skill and invention

Benjamin Britten “had a knack for discovering child talent”

10 August 2011 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Janette Heffernan was the first girl to sing in the composer’s ghost opera. I first met him when I was aged 15, when he was looking for children for the Aldeburgh premiere of Noye’s Fludde, in 1958. … [Read more...] about Benjamin Britten “had a knack for discovering child talent”

A gay painter, an outraged headmistress, and Billy Elliott’s literary dad: opera and homophobia up north

5 July 2011 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Lee Hall, the creator of Billy Elliott, has caused a Twitter storm accusing Opera North of being homophobic. He is the librettist of 'Bleached', an exciting project based in Bridlington, East … [Read more...] about A gay painter, an outraged headmistress, and Billy Elliott’s literary dad: opera and homophobia up north

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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

The Australian Ballet will tour to the Royal Opera House in August 2023

FEATURED POSTS

In and Out: Bolle, Gomes, Stiefel – how easy is it to be an openly gay ballet dancer?

Jakub Józef Orliński

In conversation with Jakub Józef Orliński

franco fagioli © thibault stipal, 2014

Franco Fagioli answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Singers’ Edition

António Casalinho, photo by Nikita Alba crop

António Casalinho – Introducing the 17-year-old Portuguese Dancer

Joyce DiDonato answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Singers’ Edition

How to stage a ballet… Maina Gielgud explains

Anna Netrebko and Yusif Eyvazov in cover art for the Romanza album

Interview with Anna Netrebko on her son, his autism and his abandonment by his father Erwin Schrott

Romeo and Juliet with Sergei Polunin

Sergei Polunin on sex change, his new girlfriend, and manning up

Gregory Kunde as Otello, photo by Matthias Baus, Teatro alla Scala 2015

Top opera singers discuss how they choose and prepare new roles

Grand Pas Classique at English National Ballet, photo by Laurent Liotardo

Introducing 19-year-old Canadian dancer Shale Wagman: from Lausanne to ENB to the Mariinsky

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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