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 grown to occupy three days in the Auditorium Parco della Musica with its 2,800 seats. The reason for […]
John Cranko
Photo Album: The Royal Ballet in Onegin with Natalia Osipova, Reece Clarke, Francesca Hayward, Matthew Ball and Gary Avis
John Cranko became acquainted with Alexander Pushkin’s verse-novel Eugene Onegin when he choreographed the dances for Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky’s opera of the same name in 1952. He created his own distinctive version of Pushkin’s work in 1965 for the Stuttgart Ballet. Onegin displays all of Cranko’s genius as a narrative choreographer, featuring finely drawn characters who are transformed by […]
Les Étoiles Gala in Rome 2020 features the ballet world’s starriest names with some surprises
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 it never becomes a clichéd evening of ballet’s greatest hits. Such was the popularity last year, that the gala will spread over […]
Marianela Nuñez and Roberto Bolle lead a top-notch cast in Onegin at La Scala
John Cranko’s ballet Onegin was brought to La Scala in 1993 as a vehicle for Carla Fracci with Rex Harrington in the title role. It wasn’t, however, Fracci’s first contact with the ballet. Her close ties with Cranko began before he became the director of the Stuttgart Ballet when she created Juliet in his production […]
English National Ballet’s 70th Anniversary Gala at the London Coliseum
As part of its 70th anniversary season, English National Ballet will celebrate its history with three gala performances at the London Coliseum on 17 and 18 January 2020. The gala performances celebrate the many dancers, choreographers, artists, musicians, artisans, technicians and audience members who, over the company’s 70 years, have been part of the English National […]
Interview with Alessandra Ferri: Maturing I find myself smiling more
I’m enjoying a new chapter in my life having the fortune to play women of my age and not romantic roles like the Giselles, Carmens, Juliets, Manons… all wonderful, but enough, they’re part of another Alessandra. Now I’m a 55-year-old with the knowledge of how extraordinary that is. Alessandra Ferri, now in Milan for a […]
After 16 years, Thiago Soares leaves as Principal dancer with The Royal Ballet
Thiago Soares becomes Royal Ballet guest Principal for the 2019/20 Season After 16 years with The Royal Ballet, Thiago Soares has decided to make this Season his last as a Principal dancer with the Comapny in order to focus on new projects in dance and the performing arts. He will return as a guest Principal in the […]
The impeccable Bolshoi dancers in Maillot’s slick Taming of the Shrew at La Scala
Lots of empty seats were available for the Bolshoi Ballet at La Scala in The Taming of the Shrew. La Bayadère – great; Swan Lake – ooh yes; Giselle – lovely; Taming of the Shrew? – err. Word of mouth did its bit after the opening night, but with just three consecutive performances there wasn’t […]
La Scala Ballet Season 2018-2019 announced
The new ballet season at La Scala sees seven programmes, including three pieces being presented at the theatre for the first time, including a newly commissioned work. George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker will open the season on 16 December and it will be the first time that his version has been presented in Italy. A Midsummer […]
The extraordinary talent of Marianela Nuñez dominates Onegin at La Scala
The extraordinary talent of Marianela Nuñez dominated this performance of Onegin at La Scala. From her opening, distracted scenes to her final act of resolve, Tatiana’s emotional arc was perfectly conveyed. Her chest looked ready to explode with emotion when she first met Onegin, yet the rekindling of that passion during the final scene saw […]
