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Daniele Cipriani

Les Étoiles – the starry Rome gala at the end of January, now with two programmes

8 January 2023 by Gramilano 2 Comments

Anna Rose O'Sullivan and Marcelino Sambé in Romeo and Juliet - photo by Helen Maybanks, ROH 2019

On 28 and 29 January 2023 at the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome the latest edition of the annual Les Étoiles gala will offer two programmes for the first time. This gives the possibility of … [Read more...] about Les Étoiles – the starry Rome gala at the end of January, now with two programmes

Attimo, sei bello! in Rome – a photographic exhibition celebrating the beauty of dance

12 December 2022 by Gramilano 1 Comment

LES ETOILES 2022 Vadim Muntagirov with Fumi Kaneko as the white swan, photo by Graham Spicer

“Fragments of eternity that tell of beauty, strength, even pain. Shots snatched from the fluid and passionate movement of dance and framed to become 'forever'.” So runs the blurb of the … [Read more...] about Attimo, sei bello! in Rome – a photographic exhibition celebrating the beauty of dance

Les Étoiles 2023 – the cast of the annual Rome dance gala is announced

20 October 2022 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Marianela Nunez and Vadim Muntagirov, Le Corsaire, photo © Graham Spicer

Producer Daniele Cipriani’s annual international gala of dance returns to Rome’s Auditorium Parco della Musica on 28 (eve) and 29 January (mat, eve) 2023. “Virtuosismi in volo e sulle punte” … [Read more...] about Les Étoiles 2023 – the cast of the annual Rome dance gala is announced

Giulietta – a new ballet with Eleonora Abbagnato, her daughter, and an imaginary friend

17 July 2022 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Giulietta - rehearsals with Eleonora Abbagnato, Julia Balzaretti, Simone Repele and Sasha Riva, photo Massimo Danza 10

A modern-day Juliet, still a child, imagines herself as an adult. She imagines having a Romeo of her own, as in Shakespeare’s story. The young Juliet is played by ten-year-old Julia Balzaretti, and … [Read more...] about Giulietta – a new ballet with Eleonora Abbagnato, her daughter, and an imaginary friend

Étoile Eleonora Abbagnato to dance with her 10-year-old daughter

6 July 2022 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Eleonora Abbagnato in In the Night, Rome Opera Ballet, 2012-13, photo Lelli e Masotti

Eleonora Abbagnato, former étoile with the Paris Opera Ballet and director of the Rome Opera Ballet, has two children with her husband, the former footballer Federico Balzaretti – Julia, 10 years old, … [Read more...] about Étoile Eleonora Abbagnato to dance with her 10-year-old daughter

Free stream of Les Étoiles ballet gala in Rome from Friday 29 April

28 April 2022 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

LES ÉTOILES 2022 - Daniil Simkin and Maia Makhateli in Don Quixote © Graham Spicer - 4597

A free streaming of the Les Étoiles gala from Rome, filmed earlier this year, will be available from tomorrow, 29 April, on ITsART – the streaming platform for Italian art and culture. ITsART … [Read more...] about Free stream of Les Étoiles ballet gala in Rome from Friday 29 April

Touché! Les Étoiles gala features a homosexual pas de deux

27 January 2022 by Gramilano 3 Comments

João Menegussi and Calvin Royal III in Touché - photo Rosalie O’Connor, courtesy American Ballet Theatre

The Les Ètoiles gala in Rome (30 and 31 January 2022) will present some usual gala fare with the Don Quixote and Swan Lake pas de deux, and as always with this annual event there will be contemporary … [Read more...] about Touché! Les Étoiles gala features a homosexual pas de deux

Les Étoiles ballet gala in Rome at the end of January, now booking

8 January 2022 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Calvin Royal III and João Menegussi

After the doom and gloom with the many announcements of theatre events being cancelled or postponed, here is some good news from Rome. The annual Les Étoiles ballet gala evening in Rome which was … [Read more...] about Les Étoiles ballet gala in Rome at the end of January, now booking

Three Italian dancers die in a car accident in Saudi Arabia

18 October 2021 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Giampiero Giarri preparing for The Creatures of Prometheus at the Nervi Festival 2020

Three Italian dancers who were on tour in Saudi Arabia died in the desert outside Riyadh after their car went off the road. The dynamics of the incident are not yet clear. The three dancers were on a … [Read more...] about Three Italian dancers die in a car accident in Saudi Arabia

Choreographer Micha van Hoecke has died at 77

12 August 2021 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Micha van Hoecke

Choreographer and director Micha van Hoecke has died after a long illness, at 77. He was a leading figure in Italian and European dance from the early 1960s. He began as a dancer with Roland Petit, … [Read more...] about Choreographer Micha van Hoecke has died at 77

A captivating dance tribute to Stravinsky at Italy’s Nervi Festival

19 July 2021 by Gramilano 3 Comments

Davide Dato in The Rite of Spring, Stravinsky's Love © Graham Spicer

A programme of dance dedicated to Igor Stravinsky on the 50th anniversary of his death launched the dance season at this year’s Nervi Music Ballet Festival. The pieces on the programme for … [Read more...] about A captivating dance tribute to Stravinsky at Italy’s Nervi Festival

Davide Dato stars in the Italian premiere of Uwe Scholz’s The Rite of Spring

6 July 2021 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Davide Dato rehearses Uwe Scholz's Rite of Spring with Giovanni di Palma © Gabriele Schacherl (5)

Uwe Scholz's version of Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring) will be performed for the first time in Italy by Davide Dato, principal dancer at the Vienna State Ballet. The work is part of an … [Read more...] about Davide Dato stars in the Italian premiere of Uwe Scholz’s The Rite of Spring

A new John Neumeier work brings two Italian dancers back home

4 July 2021 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Jacopo Bellussi and Alessandro Frola in Peter and Igor, Nijinsky Gala, Hamburg 2021 38 © Kiran West

Jacopo Bellussi and Alessandro Frola return to Italy to perform John Neumeier’s new work Peter and Igor in Stravinsky’s Love – a show commemorating the 50th anniversary of Stravinsky’s … [Read more...] about A new John Neumeier work brings two Italian dancers back home

Stravinsky celebrated in music and dance at Nervi, Ravenna and Rome festivals

20 June 2021 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Simone Repele and Sasha Riva in Pulcinella suite italienne, photo by Paolo Laudicina

On 8 July at the Nervi Music Ballet Festival 2021, a new programme of music and dance called Stravinsky’s Love will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the composer’s death*. The celebrated Russian … [Read more...] about Stravinsky celebrated in music and dance at Nervi, Ravenna and Rome festivals

Les Étoiles online: Nuñez, Muntagirov, Salenko, Kim, Shklyarov et al

9 June 2021 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Marianela Nunez and Vadim Muntagirov, Le Corsaire, photo © Graham Spicer

ITsART is a new virtual platform dedicated to the digital dissemination of artistic and cultural content from or about Italy. Free content includes journeys through museums, libraries, archaeological … [Read more...] about Les Étoiles online: Nuñez, Muntagirov, Salenko, Kim, Shklyarov et al

Italian dance impresario offers takeaway theatre shows

7 April 2021 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Daniele Cipriani, photo by Massimo Danza

Takeaway culture was an idea that came to Italian impresario Daniele Cipriani one morning on his way to his local bar in Rome: By now we are used to taking everything away, from dinner to coffee, … [Read more...] about Italian dance impresario offers takeaway theatre shows

Ballet treats to view online during the holidays

24 December 2020 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

New York City Ballet’s The Nutcracker © Erin Baiano

Dance programming for the festive period from companies all over the world are many: free, subscription and pay-per-view. Here are some that have caught my eye. Please feel free to signal in the … [Read more...] about Ballet treats to view online during the holidays

All male dance gala of ‘Duets and Solos’ streaming free from Modena

5 December 2020 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Sergio Bernal in Ricardo Cue's The Swan

Duets and Solos is a Covid-safe dance gala idea devised by Italian producer Daniele Cipriani when the pandemic crippled the programming plans of the Italian open-air festivals. Social distancing for … [Read more...] about All male dance gala of ‘Duets and Solos’ streaming free from Modena

Eleonora Abbagnato shines in Four Seasons, created for strange times

5 November 2020 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Eleonora-Abbagnato-in-Giuliano-Peparinis-4-stagioni-01

The Covid-safe dance piece 4 stagioni (Four Seasons) was created for Rome Opera Ballet after the opera, dance and concert summer programme at the Caracalla Baths was cancelled in May. Opera Roma … [Read more...] about Eleonora Abbagnato shines in Four Seasons, created for strange times

[Review] Beethoven’s ballet The Creatures of Prometheus with striking Capucci costumes

11 August 2020 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Roberto Lori in The Creatures of Prometheus The Creatures of Capucci, photo by Graham Spicer

Italian producer Daniele Cipriani seems to be resuscitating dance in Italy almost singlehandedly. The first main dance event in the country was conceived by him and presented in mid-July to open the … [Read more...] about [Review] Beethoven’s ballet The Creatures of Prometheus with striking Capucci costumes

Duets and solos in the open-air – live dance returns to Italy

23 July 2020 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Hugo Marchand, happy to be back, dancing A Suite of Dances © Graham Spicer

The first live dance event in Italy took place at the Nervi International Festival of Ballet and Music, opening the two-week festival in Nervi’s coastal park with a backdrop to the stage of palm trees … [Read more...] about Duets and solos in the open-air – live dance returns to Italy

World premiere of The Creatures of Prometheus/The Creatures of Capucci at the Spoleto Festival in Italy

4 July 2020 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Fitting for Roberto Capucci's costumes for Les Étoiles © Cristiano Castaldi 13

Beethoven and haute couture – not the first pairing that comes to mind. Le Creature di Prometeo/Le creature di Capucci (The Creatures of Prometheus/The Creatures of Capucci) celebrates this … [Read more...] about World premiere of The Creatures of Prometheus/The Creatures of Capucci at the Spoleto Festival in Italy

Italy’s first post-lockdown dance event is announced

9 June 2020 by Gramilano 1 Comment

The Swan with Sergio Bernal © Graham Spicer, Daniele Cipriani Entertainment 4

After theatres were forced to close their doors three months ago, in Italy there is some tentative nudging to open them creating a chink of hope. As with the Arena in Verona, Pesaro and other summer … [Read more...] about Italy’s first post-lockdown dance event is announced

Dancing Times, May Edition with the Danza in Italia column

7 May 2020 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Danza in Italia, May 2020 spread

Life is challenging, but Dancing Times soldiers on, as it has done for 110 years, more than any other dance publication. In all that time, even during world wars, it has never missed publishing an … [Read more...] about Dancing Times, May Edition with the Danza in Italia column

Les Étoiles for three days shone over Rome

16 February 2020 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Denis Rodkin and Eleonora Sevenard in Les Etoiles 2020 Rome, photo by Graham Spicer

The annual orgy of dance that kicks off the year in Rome, known as Les Étoiles, began in 2015 with an evening in the Auditorium della Conciliazione near the Vatican with its 1,700 seats. The gala has … [Read more...] about Les Étoiles for three days shone over Rome

Costume fitting: Roberto Capucci’s costumes for Sergio Bernal and Young Gyu Choi for Les Étoiles

24 January 2020 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Fitting for Roberto Capucci's costumes for Les Étoiles © Cristiano Castaldi 15

Roberto Capucci, the creator of the most exquisite gowns, now at the age of 90, has designed costumes for the dancers Sergio Bernal and Young Gyu Choi. They will go on stage for three galas, Les … [Read more...] about Costume fitting: Roberto Capucci’s costumes for Sergio Bernal and Young Gyu Choi for Les Étoiles

Les Étoiles Gala in Rome 2020 features the ballet world’s starriest names with some surprises

8 January 2020 by Gramilano 4 Comments

Oleg Ivenko © Dilius Gimadeyev

The annual appointment with Les Étoiles in Rome is certainly a chance to enjoy a thrilling ballet gala, but the producer Daniele Cipriani also finds interesting twists to make each edition unique, so … [Read more...] about Les Étoiles Gala in Rome 2020 features the ballet world’s starriest names with some surprises

Dancing Times, November 2019 edition – with Gramilano’s Danza in Italia column including Sleeping Beauty at La Scala and Pink Floyd in Verona

22 October 2019 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

2019 11 Dancing Times social media extract

The latest issue of Dancing Times magazine (out on Friday) contains a double-page spread dedicated to the Gramilano 'Danza in Italia' column reviews, with a look at Rudolph Nureyev's Sleeping Beauty … [Read more...] about Dancing Times, November 2019 edition – with Gramilano’s Danza in Italia column including Sleeping Beauty at La Scala and Pink Floyd in Verona

SHINE Pink Floyd Moon – a dazzling new dance work casts its magic spell

22 September 2019 by Gramilano 1 Comment

SHINE Pink Floyd Moon, photo by Graham Spicer, Gramilano 02

SHINE Pink Floyd Moon is a new dance work from Belgian choreographer, Micha van Hoecke, based on the British band’s most celebrated tracks. Their music is performed live by a ‘tribute’ band, Pink … [Read more...] about SHINE Pink Floyd Moon – a dazzling new dance work casts its magic spell

SHINE – the Pink Floyd Rock-Opera Ballet in Verona’s Teatro Romano, 5 September

31 August 2019 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

SHINE Pink Floyd Moon © Massimo Danza 06

"You must understand that you are another world in miniature, and that there is in you sun and moon and also stars." It’s certainly unusual to kick off a press release about a dance show with a quote … [Read more...] about SHINE – the Pink Floyd Rock-Opera Ballet in Verona’s Teatro Romano, 5 September

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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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