It's relatively rare to see a female pas de deux in classical dance. In 2015, for her farewell tour, Sylvie Guillem asked Russell Maliphant to create a such a duet as she'd never danced with a female partner, so he created Here & After, which she danced all over the world with La Scala soloist Emanuela Montanari. Now, The Royal Ballet's Principal Character Artist Kristen … [Read more...]
Raina Kabaivanska on the importance of Maria Callas: She’s up there and we’re down here
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 countries. We were able to listen to radio from Russia and the Bolshoi Theatre.When I finished at the conservatory I won a scholarship to study at the Bolshoi. In the meantime, … [Read more...]
Maria Callas on Stage – a new exhibition at La Scala
Maria Callas in scena - Gli anni alla Scala (Maria Callas on Stage – the La Scala Years) runs from 15 September to 31 January at La Scala’s museum, which is housed in the same building as the theatre.The Italian theatre designer, Margherita Palli, has overseen the exhibition which contains 14 of La Divina’s costumes, the necklace and earrings worn during the first act … [Read more...]
Preview peek at La Scala’s new production of Tamerlano starring Domingo, Mehta, Fagioli, Crebassa and Schiavo
La Scala’s Baroque Orchestra returns, after last year’s successful Il trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno, for a new production of Handel’s Tamerlano, again conducted by Diego Fasolis.An impressive cast features Bejun Mehta as Tamerlano, Plácido Domingo as Bajazet, Marianne Crebassa as Irene, Franco Fagioli as Andronico, and Maria Grazia Schiavo as Asteria. It also marks … [Read more...]
A first listen to the new Maria Callas Live: Remastered Live Recordings 1949-1964
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 performances to treasure. It is timed to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of her death in Paris on 16 September 1977.The 42 CDs contain 20 complete operas, and three Blu-ray discs hold … [Read more...]