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Marius Petipa

Birmingham Royal Ballet announces launch of BRB2, its new touring company

23 January 2023 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Dancers of BRB2 with Carlos Acosta - Drew Tommons

BRB2 is a new initiative where Birmingham Royal Ballet seeks out some of the best young ballet graduates from around the world to join a two-year performance programme, providing employment for the … [Read more...] about Birmingham Royal Ballet announces launch of BRB2, its new touring company

The Royal Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty returns – also in cinemas

15 December 2022 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Yasmine Nagdhi and Matthew Ball in The Sleeping Beauty, photo by Bill Cooper, The Royal Ballet 2017 ROH

This season, The Royal Ballet’s production of The Sleeping Beauty returns to the Royal Opera House, from Monday 16 January until Tuesday 6 June 2023. The ballet was first presented at Covent Garden … [Read more...] about The Royal Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty returns – also in cinemas

La Scala in città – Milan’s opera house offers five days of free events

20 September 2022 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

La Scala in città - corps de ballet at the Bagni Misteriosi, photo Brescia e Amisano,Teatro alla Scala

La Scala continues with its successful project to decentralise performances, scattering the orchestra, chorus, corps de ballet and its ballet school students in various locations around Milan – and it … [Read more...] about La Scala in città – Milan’s opera house offers five days of free events

[Review] Nureyev Legend and Legacy – a programme full of ‘wow wee’ moments

7 September 2022 by Matthew Paluch 8 Comments

Natalia Osipova in Laurencia Nureyev Legend and Legacy, photo by Andrej Uspenski

Welcome to this new collaboration between Gramilano and me, Matthew Paluch, to be known affectionately as London Calling. I'm honoured to share reviews and discussions here focusing on the London … [Read more...] about [Review] Nureyev Legend and Legacy – a programme full of ‘wow wee’ moments

Paris Opera Ballet at the Hollywood Bowl – complete programme

23 June 2022 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Trois Gnossiennes (Hans van Manen) - Ludmila Pagliero and Hugo Marchand ©Svetlana Loboff OnP

The Paris Opera Ballet returns to international touring and will perform, at the invitation of Gustavo Dudamel, two performances at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles in front of more than 34,000 … [Read more...] about Paris Opera Ballet at the Hollywood Bowl – complete programme

La Scala Ballet Season 2022-2023

6 June 2022 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Le Corsaire, Nicoletta Manni, Marco Agostino and Alessandro Grillo, photo Brescia e Amisano, Teatro alla Scala 2018

La Scala’s ballet company has announced its 2022-2023 season with even more performances than the 2019-2020 had planned. This is a positive move for Italian dance which has seen audience numbers … [Read more...] about La Scala Ballet Season 2022-2023

[Review] Balanchine’s Jewels at La Scala shows the company in top-notch form

30 March 2022 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

21 - Emeralds by George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust photo Brescia e Amisano ©Teatro alla Scala

The revival of George Balanchine’s Jewels at La Scala showed the company in top-notch form, finally shedding off the insecurities arising from cancelled premieres, last minutes Covid-related cast … [Read more...] about [Review] Balanchine’s Jewels at La Scala shows the company in top-notch form

Birmingham Royal Ballet announces its 2022-2023 Season

4 February 2022 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Ryan Felix, Yuki Sugiura and Eric Pinto Cata. © Johan Persson

WEEK-LONG RESIDENCY AT BIRMINGHAM REPERTORY THEATRE IN MAY​ON YOUR MARKS - SUMMER TRIPLE BILL AT BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME INCLUDING THE WORLD PREMIERE OF A NEW WORK BY JULIANO NUNESTHE MAGNIFICENT ROYAL … [Read more...] about Birmingham Royal Ballet announces its 2022-2023 Season

Countdown to Bayadère – casting and designs for La Scala’s opening

19 November 2021 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Costume design by Luisa Spinatelli (1)

La Bayadère, one of the key ballets in the classical repertoire, premiered in St Petersburg in 1877. Marius Petipa created a perfect harmony between mass scenes and protagonists, and it was the … [Read more...] about Countdown to Bayadère – casting and designs for La Scala’s opening

Royal Ballet stars for the Athelhampton Ballet Charity Gala 2021

23 August 2021 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Anna Rose O'Sullivan in The Dying Swan, photo by Ian Rice

Last August, Royal Ballet First Soloist Meaghan Grace Hinkis was in her living room doing a Zoom ballet class when she realised it had been nearly six months since she had set foot on stage. That … [Read more...] about Royal Ballet stars for the Athelhampton Ballet Charity Gala 2021

Bolshoi Ballet director on injury, race, harassment and a new theatre

1 August 2021 by Gramilano 13 Comments

Makhar Vaziev, artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet company, talks about some of the most discussed problems in ballet today, as well as wanting a third theatre in Moscow for the Bolshoi opera and … [Read more...] about Bolshoi Ballet director on injury, race, harassment and a new theatre

Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake: mutations, violins and homosexuality

5 June 2021 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Swan Lake, Mariinsky Theatre, 1895 crop

As his swan song on leaving his position as Principal Conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Vladimir Jurowski chose for the orchestra to play the entire score of Swan Lake. An odd choice? … [Read more...] about Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake: mutations, violins and homosexuality

The Royal Opera House 2021-2022 ballet and dance season

2 June 2021 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Sarah Lamb as Odette and Ryoichi Hirano as Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, The Royal Ballet © 2018 ROH. Photograph by Bill Cooper

The Royal Opera House has announced details of its 2021-22 Season, the first full Season since 2019. Opening on Monday 13 September, the Season includes five world premieres from The Royal … [Read more...] about The Royal Opera House 2021-2022 ballet and dance season

Coppélia – a tale of illness, premature death, amputation, and war

23 November 2020 by Gramilano 4 Comments

Giuseppina Bozzacchi as Coppélia, 1870 - crop

Giuseppina Bozzacchi was born on this day, 23 November, in Milan in 1853, and died on this day in 1870 – her 17th birthday – 150 years ago. Bozzacchi created the role of Swanhilda in Arthur … [Read more...] about Coppélia – a tale of illness, premature death, amputation, and war

Pierina Legnani – more than 32 fouettés

15 November 2020 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Pierina Legnani, 1891

Pierina Legnani was born in Milan on 30 September 1868. She spent ten years at La Scala’s ballet school, graduating in 1888, but then continued working on her technique at the private school of … [Read more...] about Pierina Legnani – more than 32 fouettés

The Royal Ballet is Back on Stage – Friday 9 October

23 September 2020 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Live From Covent Garden rehearsals with Vadim Muntagirov 19 June 2020

The Royal Ballet is Back on Stage, returning for a live-streamed performance from the stage of Covent Garden on Friday 9 October at 7.30pm. After an absence of seven … [Read more...] about The Royal Ballet is Back on Stage – Friday 9 October

Tamara Rojo to choreograph her first ballet – English National Ballet 2020-2021 Season

28 January 2020 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Tamara Rojo to direct and choreograph her first ballet, Raymonda, after Marius Petipa Raymonda will receive its world premiere in Manchester, before a UK Tour Triple bill of works by William … [Read more...] about Tamara Rojo to choreograph her first ballet – English National Ballet 2020-2021 Season

Photo album: Gala Les Étoiles at Ravenna Festival with international ballet stars

26 July 2019 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Diamonds (from Balanchine's Jewels) with Alena Kovaleva and Jacopo Tissi © Graham Spicer, Daniele Cipriani Entertainment 6

Dorothée Gilbert and Hugo Marchand (Paris Opera Ballet), Jacopo Tissi and Alena Kovaleva (Bolshoi Ballet), Bakhtiyar Adamzhan (Astana Opera, Kazakhstan), Tatiana Melnik (Hungarian National Ballet), … [Read more...] about Photo album: Gala Les Étoiles at Ravenna Festival with international ballet stars

Les Étoiles dance gala closes the 2019 Ravenna Festival

15 July 2019 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Hugo Marchand © James Bort

The Ravenna Festival was founded in 1990 by Cristina Mazzavillani Muti, with a rich programme which includes symphonic and chamber music, opera, drama, dance, ballet, musical theatre, jazz, and ethnic … [Read more...] about Les Étoiles dance gala closes the 2019 Ravenna Festival

La Scala Ballet Season 2019 – 2020

20 May 2019 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Wiener Staatsballet, Sylvia, photo Ashley Taylor

This morning, Frédéric Olivieri, director of La Scala’s ballet company, announced the theatre's 2019-2020 season: Sylvia 14 December 2019 – 14 January 2020 Music: Léo Delibes Choreography: Manuel … [Read more...] about La Scala Ballet Season 2019 – 2020

Photo Album and full casting – Bolshoi dancers in Milan

23 July 2018 by Gramilano 5 Comments

Margarita Shrainer As Gamzatti In La Bayadére, Photo By Damir Yusupov, 2018

After an 11-year absence, the Bolshoi Ballet returns to Milan. In 2007, the company came with La Fille du Pharaon and The Bright Stream. From 7 to 13 September they will be at La Scala with La … [Read more...] about Photo Album and full casting – Bolshoi dancers in Milan

Photo Album 2: Le Corsaire opens tonight at La Scala – here are some preview photos of this lavish new production

20 April 2018 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Le Corsaire, in the centre Timofej Andrijashenko, photo Brescia e Amisano, Teatro alla Scala 2018

Italian designer Luisa Spinatelli has created scenes and designed 180 costumes for a new production of Le Corsaire at La Scala. [see PHOTO ALBUM 1 - LE CORSAIRE] Anne-Marie Holmes first staged the … [Read more...] about Photo Album 2: Le Corsaire opens tonight at La Scala – here are some preview photos of this lavish new production

Photo album: A first look at La Scala’s new production of Le Corsaire (opens 20 April)

18 April 2018 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Le Corsaire rehearsal   Nicoletta Manni (2)

Italian designer Luisa Spinatelli has created scenes and designed 180 costumes for a new production of Le Corsaire at La Scala. Anna-Marie Holmes, who has already staged the ballet at the American … [Read more...] about Photo album: A first look at La Scala’s new production of Le Corsaire (opens 20 April)

Ratmansky’s Swan Lake delights once again at La Scala: music and choreography restored

19 July 2017 by Gramilano 4 Comments

Swan Lake, photo by Brescia e Amisano © Teatro alla Scala

Such was La Scala’s confidence in Alexei Ratmansky’s Swan Lake that even before its premiere in Milan in June 2016 — the co-production with Zurich had had its world premiere four months earlier — it … [Read more...] about Ratmansky’s Swan Lake delights once again at La Scala: music and choreography restored

Royal Ballet ballerina stages starry gala in memory of her mother

12 June 2017 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Emma Maguire in Sweet Violets, The Royal Ballet © ROH Bill Cooper, 2012

Emma Maguire is a Soloist of The Royal Ballet. She lost her mother, Ann, a teacher, when she was stabbed to death in front of her class by a 15-year-old pupil at Corpus Christi Catholic College in … [Read more...] about Royal Ballet ballerina stages starry gala in memory of her mother

La Scala Ballet Season 2017-2018 with new Le Corsaire, Bolle’s debut in Bolero, tribute to Nureyev, and the Bolshoi

24 May 2017 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Manon with Svetlana Zakharova and Roberto Bolle, photo by Brescia e Amisano, Teatro alla Scala

Since suddenly taking over at the helm of La Scala’s Ballet Company, and now having been confirmed as its director for the next three years, Frédéric Olivieri has presented his first ballet season … [Read more...] about La Scala Ballet Season 2017-2018 with new Le Corsaire, Bolle’s debut in Bolero, tribute to Nureyev, and the Bolshoi

Do you love dance? Then please read this…

4 March 2017 by Gramilano 3 Comments

Luciano Cannito

First of all, this article is about getting more people to sign a petition to raise awareness among Italy’s political class about the damage they are doing in allowing so many ballet companies to … [Read more...] about Do you love dance? Then please read this…

Photos of the first night cast of The Royal Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty with Sarah Lamb and Vadim Muntagirov

20 December 2016 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

The Sleeping Beauty © ROH, 2016 Photographed by Bill Cooper 009

The Sleeping Beauty holds a special place in The Royal Ballet’s repertory. It was the ballet with which the Company reopened the Royal Opera House in 1946 after World War II, its first production at … [Read more...] about Photos of the first night cast of The Royal Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty with Sarah Lamb and Vadim Muntagirov

Royal Ballet’s 70th anniversary revival of The Sleeping Beauty – casting and photos

12 December 2016 by Gramilano 2 Comments

The Sleeping Beauty. Yasmine Naghdi, Tristan Dyer and Beatriz Stix Brunell in The Sleeping Beauty. cROH   Tristram Kenton, 2014 (2)

The Sleeping Beauty reopened the Royal Opera House after the war in February 1946 when the Company first took up residence in Covent Garden with Margot Fonteyn dancing the role of Princess … [Read more...] about Royal Ballet’s 70th anniversary revival of The Sleeping Beauty – casting and photos

Ratmansky explains why his Swan Lake is arriving bigger and better at La Scala

27 June 2016 by Gramilano 10 Comments

Alexei Ratmansky’s reconstruction of Marius Petipa’s Swan Lake was rapturously received by almost all the critics when it premiered in Zurich in February. Alastair Macaulay in The New York Times said, … [Read more...] about Ratmansky explains why his Swan Lake is arriving bigger and better at La Scala

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NEWS

Pam Tanowitz’s Secret Things, her second world premiere for The Royal Ballet this season

Prix de Lausanne 2023 – the full lineup

Principal dancer Jared Angle to give final performance with NYCB

The Australian Ballet will tour to the Royal Opera House in August 2023

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

Alexei Ratmansky joins New York City Ballet as Artist in Residence

Ballet dancer Denis Vieira dies in Cyprus at 31

Bruno Vescovo, former principal dancer with the La Scala Ballet, has died at 73

In Memoriam 2022: Singers, Dancers, Actors, Writers, Directors

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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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