Opening Night - 17 September 2019 Giselle Svetlana Zakharova Albrecht David Hallberg Duke of Courland Alessandro Grillo Principess Bathilde Marta Romagna Giselle's mother Beatrice Carbone Hilarion Mick Zeni Wilfried Riccardo Massimi Hunter Massimo Garon Peasants Pas de deux Martina Arduino, Nicola Del Freo Giselle's friends Alessia Auriemma, Christelle … [Read more...] about Photo Album: Giselle at La Scala with Svetlana Zakharova and David Hallberg
La Scala
Greta Hodgkinson receives a special gift from The National Ballet of Canada on her retirement
Karen Kain, Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, has announced that Greta Hodgkinson will retire as Principal Dancer in 2020 after a career that spans 30 years. She will dance the title role in Giselle and appear in Petite Mort in November as well as The Nutcracker in December. Her final performance as Principal Dancer will be the role of Marguerite in Frederick … [Read more...] about Greta Hodgkinson receives a special gift from The National Ballet of Canada on her retirement
Dancing Times, September edition – with Gramilano’s Danza in Italia column including Woolf Works at La Scala and a Glass triple bill in Rome
The latest issue of Dancing Times is out tomorrow. In September’s issue, I cover Wayne McGregor’s “amazing” Woolf Works at La Scala with Alessandra Ferri giving a “frighteningly intense” performance alongside an excellent cast from La Scala Ballet including “powerful and touching” performances from Timofej Andrijashenko as Septimus and Claudio Coviello as Evans, and Gioacchino … [Read more...] about Dancing Times, September edition – with Gramilano’s Danza in Italia column including Woolf Works at La Scala and a Glass triple bill in Rome
Russian ballet star Vladimir Derevianko on Rome Ballet’s Eleonora Abbagnato
Vladimir Derevianko, Russian dancer, coach, choreographer, company director, and TV panellist, has an international understanding of dance and, being that he is based in Rome, is ideally positioned to see the recent problems at Rome Opera Ballet objectively. He left an interview with Adnkronos, the news agency that first published the letter from the trade unions representing … [Read more...] about Russian ballet star Vladimir Derevianko on Rome Ballet’s Eleonora Abbagnato
Royal Ballet’s Valentino Zucchetti is Mercutio in the Kobborg-Polunin-Cojocaru Romeo and Juliet
On the 26 August, there will be a single performance only of Johan Kobborg’s new production of Romeo and Juliet with Sergei Polunin and Alina Cojocaru in the title roles. But when the theatre in Verona’s vast Arena with 30,000 seats it is the equivalent of a 15-performance run in an opera house. Joining them on stage will be The Royal Ballet’s First Soloist, Valentino … [Read more...] about Royal Ballet’s Valentino Zucchetti is Mercutio in the Kobborg-Polunin-Cojocaru Romeo and Juliet
Eleonora Abbagnato in Rome: “She should be rewarded with applause”
The recent letter sent by unions representing the dancers at the Rome Opera Ballet complaining about the “disrespectful” behaviour of its director, Eleonora Abbagnato, has sparked much discussion – mainly in Italian – on social media. There have been many indignant tut-tutters, scandalised (often in quite colourful language) by the goings-on in Rome, yet only one side of the … [Read more...] about Eleonora Abbagnato in Rome: “She should be rewarded with applause”
Rock ballet ‘SHINE Pink Floyd Moon’ by Micha van Hoecke tours Italy’s open air festivals
Belgian choreographer, Micha van Hoecke, has collaborated extensively with conductor Riccardo Muti over the years, providing choreography for operas when the Maestro was head of La Scala, and then later in Rome when Muti took over at the Rome Opera for a short time. The association also brought him to the Ravenna Festival, founded and run by Muti’s wife, Cristina Mazzavillani, … [Read more...] about Rock ballet ‘SHINE Pink Floyd Moon’ by Micha van Hoecke tours Italy’s open air festivals
The magnificent Tokyo Ballet thrills at La Scala
After nine years away, the Tokyo Ballet returned to Milan as part of its Italian tour. The four-day stay saw two programmes with some of the company’s ‘greatest hits’. A triple bill consisted of Balanchine’s Serenade, Kylián’s Dreamtime, and Béjart’s Le Sacre du printemps; the second programme was Béjart’s The Kabuki. Serenade was beautiful to behold from the mystic, ‘Casta … [Read more...] about The magnificent Tokyo Ballet thrills at La Scala
Verdi’s I masnadieri at La Scala is dark and wonderful in David McVicar’s exciting production
David McVicar’s new production of I masnadieri (The Robbers) for La Scala features a monumental set by Charles Edwards which is modified during the opera, but largely remains the same, so there is a line of showers (functional) alongside a tomb and a series of tavern tables and benches all within the entrance hall of a castle. It is beautifully lit throughout by Adam … [Read more...] about Verdi’s I masnadieri at La Scala is dark and wonderful in David McVicar’s exciting production
La Scala mourns the death of a tenor with a minute’s silence and moving trumpet solo
Before the final performance of I masnadieri at La Scala yesterday evening, the curtain rose on a crowded set with the chorus, soloists, technicians and other backstage theatre workers, together with the director of the chorus, Bruno Casoni, and the intendant of the theatre, Alexander Periera. They were there to pay their respects to tenor Giuseppe Bellanca, a member of the … [Read more...] about La Scala mourns the death of a tenor with a minute’s silence and moving trumpet solo