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Bolshoi Theatre

Putin’s conductor, Valery Gergiev, sees his return concert cancelled

21 July 2025 by Gramilano 3 Comments

Valery Gergiev, photo by Alexander Shapunov

Valery Gergiev’s planned concert at the Royal Palace of Caserta, near Naples, has been cancelled after more than 16,000 people (including politicians worldwide, Nobel laureates, and activists) signed … [Read more...] about Putin’s conductor, Valery Gergiev, sees his return concert cancelled

Russian choreographer Yuri Grigorovich dies at 98

19 May 2025 by Gramilano 5 Comments

Yuri Grigorovich in 1979, photographed by Bernard Gotfryd

Yuri Grigorovich, the longtime choreographer at Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre, has died at 98. He was the artictic director of the theatre for more than three decades. Grigorovich was born in St. … [Read more...] about Russian choreographer Yuri Grigorovich dies at 98

The Bolshoi Theatre has more than doubled its ticket prices

16 August 2024 by Gramilano 1 Comment

The Bolshoi Theatre’s newly raised ticket prices are causing some anger among its regular patrons. One comment on the theatre's Telegram channel reads: Six months ago, performances could be seen … [Read more...] about The Bolshoi Theatre has more than doubled its ticket prices

Francesco Ventriglia to become Alberta Ballet’s new artistic director

21 December 2023 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Francesco Ventriglia, photo by Damiano Mongelli

Francesco Ventriglia is a former dancer with the La Scala Ballet and a choreographer of classical and contemporary ballet. Today it was announced that he will take over as artistic director of Alberta … [Read more...] about Francesco Ventriglia to become Alberta Ballet’s new artistic director

Valery Gergiev appointed general director of the Bolshoi Theatre

1 December 2023 by Gramilano 2 Comments

Valery Gergiev, photo by Alexander Shapunov

Today, the Bolshoi Theatre sent out the following press release: Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed a decree appointing Valery Gergiev as general director of the Bolshoi Theatre. Vladimir Urin … [Read more...] about Valery Gergiev appointed general director of the Bolshoi Theatre

Valery Gergiev becomes head of both Bolshoi and Mariinsky theatres

16 November 2023 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Valery Gergiev, photo by Alexander Shapunov

Russia’s two ‘rival’ theatres – The Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg and The Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow – will both be headed by Vladimir Putin’s favourite conductor, Valery Gergiev. Izvestiya … [Read more...] about Valery Gergiev becomes head of both Bolshoi and Mariinsky theatres

The silence of the cultural elite – moral dilemmas of working in dance in today’s Russia

20 September 2023 by Gramilano 3 Comments

Ukrainian Institute of America Fallen Artists exhibition in New York 4

Can art, in this case dance, be a protection from politics? Do you become a collaborator if your work is helping to fill the coffers of the regime? Conductors Furtwängler and Toscanini offer a … [Read more...] about The silence of the cultural elite – moral dilemmas of working in dance in today’s Russia

Ten leading Bolshoi dancers suspended

6 October 2022 by Gramilano 5 Comments

Uzbekistan poster

Leading Bolshoi dancers have been suspended from upcoming performances in Moscow after participating in a gala in Uzbekistan. On their day off, the dancers were in Tashkent, the capital, at the … [Read more...] about Ten leading Bolshoi dancers suspended

[Photo Album] Le Corsaire in Rome with Nuñez, Muntagirov, Tissi and Makhateli

10 May 2022 by Gramilano 1 Comment

13 - Le Corsaire, Marianela Nuñez (Medora), Vadim Muntagirov (Conrad), photo by Fabrizio Sansoni, Opera Roma 2022

Tonight, Tuesday 10 May, until 15 May, the curtain of the Teatro Costanzi in Rome rises on Le Corsaire, a version that José Carlos Martínez created for the Rome Opera Ballet in 2020 but which had its … [Read more...] about [Photo Album] Le Corsaire in Rome with Nuñez, Muntagirov, Tissi and Makhateli

Dominique Meyer, CEO of La Scala, on the new streaming service, Russia, and audiences

29 April 2022 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Piazza della Scala, Milan

Well, we have a profit of €300,000 - says Dominique Meyer, CEO of La Scala - Of course, there were surprises during the year and in September the theatre was still not open at full capacity, so could … [Read more...] about Dominique Meyer, CEO of La Scala, on the new streaming service, Russia, and audiences

Bolshoi Theatre’s official newsletter opens with resignations of chief conductor and dancers

17 March 2022 by Gramilano 4 Comments

In a move quite opposite to the fake news or denying of events in Russian media over the last weeks, the Bolshoi Theatre’s official English language newsletter opens with the announcement that its … [Read more...] about Bolshoi Theatre’s official newsletter opens with resignations of chief conductor and dancers

[Review] La Scala finally concludes its Bayadère run

8 February 2022 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

03 - La Bayadère, with Svetlana Zakharova and Jacopo Tissi, photo by Brescia e Amisano ©Teatro alla Scala

Dominque Meyer, La Scala’s director, said recently, “We have to accept a new logic, without fear or hysteria, just working day by day, with medical bulletins in hand and rapidly changing the rehearsal … [Read more...] about [Review] La Scala finally concludes its Bayadère run

Anna Netrebko in hospital recovering from Covid-19

17 September 2020 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Anna Netrebko, photo by Ruven Afanador

Anna Netrebko has been in hospital in Moscow recovering from pneumonia for the last five days. While she was in the hospital she was tested for the coronavirus and found to be positive. Now that … [Read more...] about Anna Netrebko in hospital recovering from Covid-19

Bolshoi and Mariinsky dancers in quarantine

12 August 2020 by Gramilano 5 Comments

  Russian media outlet RBC is reporting that some artists of the Bolshoi and Mariinsky Theatres in Moscow and St Petersburg have been quarantined after testing positive for … [Read more...] about Bolshoi and Mariinsky dancers in quarantine

The Bolshoi Theatre’s Director on the current closure and the worrying task of reopening

10 April 2020 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Vladimir Putin and Vladimir Urin

Автор: Kremlin.ru, CC BY 4.0, Ссылка In a plain-speaking interview with the Russian newspaper Kommersant, the Bolshoi Theatre’s General Director, Vladimir Urin, talked about the impending … [Read more...] about The Bolshoi Theatre’s Director on the current closure and the worrying task of reopening

A mesmerising new ballet art film – ‘missed nuance’ – captures movement like never before

15 October 2019 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Missed Nuance featuring Jake Mangakahia of The Australian Ballet

After Niv Novak’s slow-motion dance project ‘extension’ in 2017, comes ‘missed nuance’, a similar project with a different look. Dancers from international ballet companies wore designer garments to … [Read more...] about A mesmerising new ballet art film – ‘missed nuance’ – captures movement like never before

English National Ballet announces 2019-2020 70th Anniversary Season

15 March 2019 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Crystal Costa, Alison McWhinney and Isabelle Brouwers in Le Corsaire © Laurent Liotardo

70th Anniversary celebrations 2020 marks English National Ballet’s 70th Anniversary with celebrations taking place throughout the 2019-2020 Season that give opportunities for the Company to say, … [Read more...] about English National Ballet announces 2019-2020 70th Anniversary Season

Photo Album: La Bayadère with The Royal Ballet – first night with Nuñez, Osipova and Muntagirov

1 November 2018 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

La Bayadère. Marianela Nuñez as Nikiya. ©ROH, 2018. Photographed by Bill Cooper. (2)

Here are the first photos from the dress rehearsal of tonight's opening cast at The Royal Opera House of Natalia Makarova's La Bayadère. Solor is danced by Vadim Muntagirov, Gamzatti by Natalia … [Read more...] about Photo Album: La Bayadère with The Royal Ballet – first night with Nuñez, Osipova and Muntagirov

Raina Kabaivanska on the importance of Maria Callas: She’s up there and we’re down here

16 September 2017 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Raina Kabaivanska

I was born in Bulgaria. I’m a daughter of communism. I lived with communism behind the iron curtain. We had no idea of the voices in the West because it was forbidden to listen to radio from those … [Read more...] about Raina Kabaivanska on the importance of Maria Callas: She’s up there and we’re down here

Bolshoi Ballet’s Vladislav Lantratov on the cancelling of Nureyev: There is nothing worse for an artist…

24 July 2017 by Gramilano 1 Comment

HELLO  Russia

On 8 July, after the dress rehearsal of the Bolshoi Ballet’s ambitious new ballet on the life of Rudolf Nureyev, the premiere was cancelled. Vladislav Lantratov was to have played Nureyev and, stunned … [Read more...] about Bolshoi Ballet’s Vladislav Lantratov on the cancelling of Nureyev: There is nothing worse for an artist…

‘Ousted’ ENO director gets top job at the Bolshoi

17 July 2016 by Gramilano 4 Comments

In an unprecedented move, it seems that 'ousted' English National Opera artistic director, John Berry, has been snapped up by the Bolshoi Theatre. It is extremely rare for non-Russians to hold … [Read more...] about ‘Ousted’ ENO director gets top job at the Bolshoi

Maya Plisetskaya’s 90th birthday celebrated in concerts and exhibitions

19 November 2015 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

20 November 2015 would have been Maya Plisetskaya's 90th birthday. The great Russian ballerina, who died on 2 May this year, will be remembered in a series of events in Moscow and St Petersburg. On … [Read more...] about Maya Plisetskaya’s 90th birthday celebrated in concerts and exhibitions

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

The first Benois-Massine prize is awarded in Moscow

9 June 2015 by Gramilano 2 Comments

The annual Benois de la danse prize-giving ceremony, one of the dance world’s most prestigious awards, was held at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow at the end of May. The prix is awarded not only to … [Read more...] about The first Benois-Massine prize is awarded in Moscow

Svetlana Zakharova captured by Vladimir Fridkes’ camera: Still Frame

14 February 2015 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

At Moscow's Multimedia Art Museum an exhibition of photographs by Russian photographer Vladimir Fridkes featuring Svetlana Zakharova has opened and will run until 8 March. The exhibition - called … [Read more...] about Svetlana Zakharova captured by Vladimir Fridkes’ camera: Still Frame

Young American at the Bolshoi: Julian MacKay wins Sochi and Istanbul medals

13 July 2014 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

The (other) American at the Bolshoi, 16-year-old Julian MacKay, has been winning medals at the international ballet competitions at Sochi and Istanbul. Of course there are lots of ballet competitions … [Read more...] about Young American at the Bolshoi: Julian MacKay wins Sochi and Istanbul medals

Carla Fracci, Claudio Coviello and the Prix Benois 2014

30 May 2014 by Gramilano 2 Comments

For more than twenty years the Benois Prize has been recognising talent with the most starry juries imaginable. The first year it consisted of Yury Grigorovich as its president, with Galina Ulanova … [Read more...] about Carla Fracci, Claudio Coviello and the Prix Benois 2014

You choose it out of Love! Dancing with the Khan-MacKay family

31 December 2013 by Gramilano 9 Comments

Dancing, like acting and singing, often runs in the family. There are countless dancers whose parents danced: Zenaida Yanowsky (Royal Ballet), Yury Yanowsky (Boston Ballet) and Nadia Yanowsky (Het … [Read more...] about You choose it out of Love! Dancing with the Khan-MacKay family

Bolshoi Theatre director on Filin, Ratmansky, Tsiskaridze, the opera, the image and more

30 September 2013 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

The new head of the Bolshoi Theatre, Vladimir Urin, has outlined some of his intentions for the theatre's future, after two months into the job. He talked about creating a group of house singers, … [Read more...] about Bolshoi Theatre director on Filin, Ratmansky, Tsiskaridze, the opera, the image and more

Ex-Bolshoi star Tsiskaridze returns to dance in The Nutcracker on New Year’s Eve

28 September 2013 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Former Bolshoi dancer Nikolai Tsiskaridze, whose contract was terminated by the theatre at the beginning of the summer, will return for The Nutcracker, as it would give him "the chance to say goodbye … [Read more...] about Ex-Bolshoi star Tsiskaridze returns to dance in The Nutcracker on New Year’s Eve

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Gramilano newsletter 2019

INTERVIEWS

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

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

Lawrence Brownlee, © Shervin Lainez

Interview with tenor Lawrence Brownlee on being a black man in America: Cycles of My Being

Francesco Gabriele Frola. Photo By Karolina Kuras, 2016 01

Meet Francesco Gabriele Frola — National Ballet of Canada and English National Ballet’s new Principal Dancer

Piazza della Scala, Milan

Dominique Meyer, CEO of La Scala, on the new streaming service, Russia, and audiences

Dancers of English National Ballet in Swan Lake in the round c Laurent Liotardo 5

[Interview] Six quick questions for Derek Deane on the opening of his “Swan Lake in-the-round” in London

Thea Musgrave

Interview with composer Thea Musgrave at 90: I am happy and fulfilled to be the composer and person I am now

Yasmine Naghdi prepares for Gamzatti, photo by Dasa Wharton 15

Interview: For The Royal Ballet’s Yasmine Naghdi it’s “Ready, Steady, Go”!

Juan Diego Flórez, phoyo by Manfred Baumann

Interview with Juan Diego Flórez who debuts in Ricciardo e Zoraide at Pesaro tonight

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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 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.

Since 2022, Gramilano has been pleased to welcome guest authors: Paul Arrowsmith, Donatella Bertozzi, Georgina Butler, Kathrina Farrugia-Kriel, Jonathan Gray, Marina Harss, Ann Haskins, Lily Hyde, Marta Mele, Matthew Paluch, Jann Parry, Lucía Piquero, Graham Watts, Deborah Weiss, and Lydia Wharf.

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