An odd evening at La Scala saw Balanchine’s pure, sparkling choreography for Symphony in C sandwiched between two new contemporary creations on music which has already had phenomenally successful … [Read more...] about Balanchine saves the day – a triple bill at La Scala: La Valse, Symphony in C and Scheherazade
Christian Fagetti
Martina Arduino and Claudio Coviello as the star-crossed lovers at La Scala
The roles of Romeo and Juliet are unexpectedly hard to bring off in ballet. In the play, the timbre of the voice and meaning of the text explain what the two are thinking and feeling, whereas, using … [Read more...] about Martina Arduino and Claudio Coviello as the star-crossed lovers at La Scala
La Scala Ballet returns to Paris with Ratmansky’s Swan Lake
After the success in Milan before the summer, La Scala now takes Alexei Ratmansky’s Swan Lake to Paris for six performances at the Palais des Congrès. The production was coproduced with the Opernhaus … [Read more...] about La Scala Ballet returns to Paris with Ratmansky’s Swan Lake
La Scala dancer Jacopo Tissi joins the Bolshoi
Jacopo Tissi, the young Italian dancer who is starting to make waves, has been offered a contract with the Bolshoi Ballet Company. That’s not something that happens every day. The Moscow company, like … [Read more...] about La Scala dancer Jacopo Tissi joins the Bolshoi
Swan Lake at La Scala – Alexei Ratmansky puts the ballet’s heart where it belongs
Alexei Ratmansky’s reconstruction of the Petipa/Ivanov Swan Lake is as eye-opening as was his version of The Sleeping Beauty: it is fresh, it is vital, it effectively tells a story and communicates … [Read more...] about Swan Lake at La Scala – Alexei Ratmansky puts the ballet’s heart where it belongs
Sarah Lamb makes her début at La Scala with Claudio Coviello in Manon
La Scala sometimes lets down its audience by casting a ‘local’ dancer when the star has cancelled. I apologise if I'm upsetting some of the company, but this is often a deluding experience resulting … [Read more...] about Sarah Lamb makes her début at La Scala with Claudio Coviello in Manon
A magical Natalia Osipova with Claudio Coviello in Romeo and Juliet
Natalia Osipova took my breath away with her extraordinary portrayal of Juliet in Kenneth MacMillan's Romeo and Juliet at Teatro della Scala. The whole company shone, the soloists were excellent, and … [Read more...] about A magical Natalia Osipova with Claudio Coviello in Romeo and Juliet
Nicoletta Manni’s a fine Kitri in a fine company
Well it's an ill wind... Natalia Osipova's last minute cancellation as Kitri at La Scala left the way open for Nicoletta Manni, newly appointed principal dancer with the company, to show the … [Read more...] about Nicoletta Manni’s a fine Kitri in a fine company
Vasiliev is still a jeune homme… careful Ivan!
Ivan Vasiliev is a powerful performer, both physically and emotionally. His prowess in ballet pyrotechnics - the leaps, the turns - has brought him fame throughout the world. But he's no circus … [Read more...] about Vasiliev is still a jeune homme… careful Ivan!
Glamorous casting at La Scala as Natalia Osipova steps in at last minute
After the success La Scala's ballet company during their dates in Tokyo - 10,000 people saw the 5 performances of Romeo and Juliet - they now return to Milan with four performances of Swan Lake from … [Read more...] about Glamorous casting at La Scala as Natalia Osipova steps in at last minute