• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • HOME
  • POPULAR POSTS
    • DANCE
    • MUSIC & OPERA
    • PHOTOGRAPHY
  • QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
    • DANCERS
    • SINGERS
  • MY PHOTOS
  • CONTACT
Gramilano logo 2023

- dance, opera, photography...

Herbert von Karajan

Pavarotti to have a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

31 July 2022 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Luciano Pavarotti - photo Primo Gnani, 1987

There will be a new Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Luciano Pavarotti, who died in 2007 at 71. The laying ceremony will be on 24 August 2022 at 11.30 am (Los Angeles time) at 7065 Hollywood … [Read more...] about Pavarotti to have a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Luciana Novaro, Italian ballerina who danced with Massine and Lifar, dies at 98

31 May 2021 by Gramilano 1 Comment

1953 Luciana Novaro in Le Baiser de la fée, photo by Erio Piccagliani © Teatro alla Scala crop

Luciana Novaro, a hugely important figure in Italian ballet, died on 26 May at 98. Her passing was unfortunately overshadowed by the death several hours later of the ballerina Carla Fracci, her friend … [Read more...] about Luciana Novaro, Italian ballerina who danced with Massine and Lifar, dies at 98

Mezzo-soprano Christa Ludwig has died at 93

25 April 2021 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Christa Ludwig (cropped)

The German opera singer Christa Ludwig, died on Saturday 24 April at the age of 93 in Klosterneuburg, Austria, where she lived. Blessed with infallible vocal means and musical intelligence, she was a … [Read more...] about Mezzo-soprano Christa Ludwig has died at 93

Mirella Freni’s voice will open La Scala’s gala for its new season

30 November 2020 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Mirella Freni as Adriana Lecouvreur in 1989, photo by Lelli e Masotti © Teatro alla Scala-sm

There will not be 24, but now 25 voices in La Scala’s gala to open its 2020-2021 season A riveder le stelle (Seeing the Stars Again). On 7 December, the video introducing the evening will feature the … [Read more...] about Mirella Freni’s voice will open La Scala’s gala for its new season

Mirella Freni dies at 84

9 February 2020 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Mirella Freni, who would have been 85 on 27 February, has died at her home in Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. She had been fighting an illness for a long while and died … [Read more...] about Mirella Freni dies at 84

Rolando Panerai dies at 95 – a career of tradition and adventure

24 October 2019 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Rolando Panerai in 1975 in La bohème, photo by Erio Piccagliani

With Rolando Panerai we lose a star of opera that we will not see the like of again, and many of his performances have shaped the history of La Scala’s opera house. La Scala left these words today, … [Read more...] about Rolando Panerai dies at 95 – a career of tradition and adventure

A first listen to the new Maria Callas Live: Remastered Live Recordings 1949-1964

10 September 2017 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Maria Callas Live

More than a gift to their own coffers, Warner Classics in releasing Maria Callas Live is giving fans of La Divina and lovers of opera a meticulously restored collection of some of her finest … [Read more...] about A first listen to the new Maria Callas Live: Remastered Live Recordings 1949-1964

Luciano Pavarotti, 10 years after his death, celebrated in exclusive photos from the La Scala archives

6 September 2017 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Recital in 1983

Luciano Pavarotti died ten years ago today, on 6 September 2007. Teatro alla Scala continually welcomed the great tenor to its stage for almost three decades, from 1965 until 1992. At the Milanese … [Read more...] about Luciano Pavarotti, 10 years after his death, celebrated in exclusive photos from the La Scala archives

La Scala Ballet’s programme change for the US – with Bolle, Nuñez and Copeland

28 March 2017 by Gramilano 3 Comments

Marianela Nuñez, photo by Carlos Villamayor

The previously announced ballet to be performed at California’s Segerstrom Center by La Scala’s Ballet Company was Mauro Bigonzetti’s Cinderella, a ballet created for the opening of La Scala’s ballet … [Read more...] about La Scala Ballet’s programme change for the US – with Bolle, Nuñez and Copeland

Leontyne Price is 90 – best wishes and photographic memories from La Scala

10 February 2017 by Gramilano 4 Comments

Leontyne Price in front of La Scala when she made her house debut in 1960

On this day, 10 February 1927, Leontyne Price was born in Laurel, Mississipi. To celebrate her 90th birthday, La Scala joins companies, colleagues and fans the world over in wishing her a happy … [Read more...] about Leontyne Price is 90 – best wishes and photographic memories from La Scala

Elisabeth Schwarzkopf’s 100th birthday celebrated with remastered recordings

14 October 2015 by Gramilano 1 Comment

The 100th birthday of Elisabeth Schwarzkopf falls on 9 December 2015. She died in 2006, but her recordings are a timeless treasure of the Warner Classics catalogue, like those of her contemporary and … [Read more...] about Elisabeth Schwarzkopf’s 100th birthday celebrated with remastered recordings

Happy 80th Birthday Mirella Freni… from La Scala – in photos and video

27 February 2015 by Gramilano 2 Comments

Mirella Freni is eighty, and to celebrate her birthday La Scala threw open its doors to her fans and opera lovers to see the great soprano once again on the stage that was hers for so many years. A … [Read more...] about Happy 80th Birthday Mirella Freni… from La Scala – in photos and video

Daniel Barenboim on ‘his’ Fidelio at La Scala

3 December 2014 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

The opening of La Scala's season on 7 December each year is the most anticipated and often contested event in the international opera calendar. Daniel Barenboim opens the 2014-2015 Opera and Ballet … [Read more...] about Daniel Barenboim on ‘his’ Fidelio at La Scala

Fiorenza Cossotto answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Singers’ Edition

1 August 2014 by Gramilano 2 Comments

Q&A  in italiano When did you start singing? When I was a girl. Why did you start singing? For my own personal enjoyment. Which singer inspired you most when you were young? No one. Which … [Read more...] about Fiorenza Cossotto answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Singers’ Edition

Callas and Sutherland’s tenor – Renato Cioni – dies at 84

4 March 2014 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Renato Cioni, the great Tuscan tenor, died today in his home town of Portoferraio, on the island of Elba, where he was born almost 85 years ago. His career took off in the mid 1950s when  he sang … [Read more...] about Callas and Sutherland’s tenor – Renato Cioni – dies at 84

Opera star Regina Resnik dies at 90

10 August 2013 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Regina Resnik, who was born as Resnick (she lost the 'c' early on) in the Bronx in 1922, has died in New York after a stroke, at 90. Resnick had a remarkable career change in her thirties went her … [Read more...] about Opera star Regina Resnik dies at 90

Unseen photos: an emotional Maria Callas with Herbert von Karajan at La Scala in the ’50s

5 June 2012 by Gramilano 4 Comments

An (almost) unseen photo from the archives at Teatro alla Scala which shows an emotional Maria Callas moved to tears by the incredible success of her Lucia di Lammermoor as the curtain closes … [Read more...] about Unseen photos: an emotional Maria Callas with Herbert von Karajan at La Scala in the ’50s

Cecilia Bartoli is awarded the 2012 Herbert von Karajan Music Prize

17 February 2012 by Gramilano 3 Comments

The Italian opera singer and director of the Salzburg Whitsun Festival, Cecilia Bartoli, has won this year's Herbert von Karajan Music Prize, which comes with a sum of €50,000. The Chairman of the … [Read more...] about Cecilia Bartoli is awarded the 2012 Herbert von Karajan Music Prize

Pianist Alexis Weissenberg dies at 82

10 January 2012 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Bulgarian pianist Alexis Weissenberg has died aged 82. Born into a Jewish family in Sofia, Weissenberg began piano lessons at the age of three with his mother, giving his first public performance … [Read more...] about Pianist Alexis Weissenberg dies at 82

Kiri Te Kanawa on divas, puppies & Luther Vandross – but avoids commenting on Katherine Jenkins

5 October 2011 by Gramilano 3 Comments

Ahead of her much-anticipated Belfast Festival appearance, Matthew McCreary of the Belfast Telegraph talks to Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. In what is a rather mundane interview (the fault of the Dame, not … [Read more...] about Kiri Te Kanawa on divas, puppies & Luther Vandross – but avoids commenting on Katherine Jenkins

Vienna Opera and La Scala exchange goes ahead tomorrow

8 September 2011 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

A much-anticipated exchange between the Vienna Opera and Milan's Teatro alla Scala will go ahead despite earlier fears it might be cancelled because of a strike. Two unions at the Milan opera house … [Read more...] about Vienna Opera and La Scala exchange goes ahead tomorrow

Primary Sidebar

SUBSCRIBE

Gramilano newsletter 2019

CATEGORIES

FOLLOW

  • 20,023 Followers
  • 21,200 Subscribers
  • 22,866 Followers
  • 230k Followers
  • 0 Followers

NEWS

Royal Academy of Dance announces winners of the Margot Fonteyn International Ballet Competition 2023

Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends – Cameron Mackintosh releases 5,000 best seats at £25

Stuttgart Ballet’s Mackenzie Brown is promoted to Principal Dancer

Alessandra Ferri is the new director of the Vienna State Ballet

Jack Anderson – dance writer, historian, and poet – dies at 88

Ballet schools worldwide commit to a collective future with aDvANCE conference

A new 17-floor tower opens behind La Scala with rehearsal rooms and offices

Sarah Jessica Parker produces Front Row, a documentary following the United Ukrainian Ballet

NutcrackAR – Birmingham Royal Ballet’s augmented reality countdown to Nutcracker time

#WorldBalletDay celebrates 10th anniversary

FEATURED POSTS

Luca Pisaroni as Leporello in Don Giovanni at Glyndebourne   photo by Bill Cooper

In conversation with Luca Pisaroni: back to Milan with his La Scala debut

Lawrence Brownlee & Michael Spyres crop

[Interview] Michael Spyres and Lawrence Brownlee on their new Rossini album

Dancers' injuries illustration

Dance injuries from the ballet dancer’s point of view: top stars share their experiences

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

English National Ballet in Derek Deane's Swan Lake, photo by ASH, Arnaud Stephenson, 2013

Derek Deane on 20 years of his Swan Lake ‘in the round’

Steven McRae by Rick Guest crop

The Royal Ballet’s Steven McRae on injury: turning weakness into strength

Yasmine Naghdi in rehearsal for Tarantella, The Royal Ballet © 2017 ROH. Photograph by Bill Cooper

[Interview] The Royal Ballet’s Yasmine Naghdi: a time to reflect

Jakub Józef Orliński

In conversation with Jakub Józef Orliński

Lauren Cuthbertson by Clive Barda

Interview with The Royal Ballet’s Lauren Cuthbertson – so much passion

How to stage a ballet… Maina Gielgud explains

GRAMILANO

Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan, aka ‘Gramilano’. 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. He wrote the ‘Danza in Italia’ column for Dancing Times magazine.

Since 2022, Gramilano is pleased to welcome guest authors: Alisa Alekseeva, Paul Arrowsmith, Kathrina Farrugia-Kriel, Jonathan Gray, Marina Harss, Matthew Paluch, Jann Parry, Graham Watts, and Deborah Weiss.

Referred-to-by

SEARCH

Copyright © 2023 · Gramilano · All rights reserved

about me · contact me · privacy and cookies

Would you like to receive an email
whenever we publish a new post?

SUBSCRIBE