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Massimiliano Volpini

December’s Dancing Times features Manuel Legris, Eleonora Abbagnato, and other delights

29 November 2020 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Manuel Legris - Dancing Times, December 2020

The latest issue of Dancing Times is now on sale. The December 2020 issue ends the year when the magazine celebrated its 110th anniversary, and even with the cancellation of so many shows the world … [Read more...] about December’s Dancing Times features Manuel Legris, Eleonora Abbagnato, and other delights

La Scala welcomes back its stars – season opening 7 December

25 November 2020 by Gramilano 7 Comments

La Scala 7 December 2020

Despite coronavirus restrictions, La Scala will celebrate the opening of its season 2020-2021 – however long or short it may be – on 7 December, the feast of Saint Ambrose, Milan’s saint’s day. The … [Read more...] about La Scala welcomes back its stars – season opening 7 December

La Scala UN documentary-dance gala, tonight at 6pm (CET)

22 October 2020 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Ballet Gala Le Corsaire - Martina Arduino, Marco Agostino and Mattia Semperboni, photo by Brescia e Amisano Teatro alla Scala

On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Foundation of the United Nations, Teatro alla Scala, following on the initiative of the Italian Permanent Representation to the United Nations, together … [Read more...] about La Scala UN documentary-dance gala, tonight at 6pm (CET)

Jas Art Ballet Company’s Opera Danza Festival in Milan

12 May 2019 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Francesco Ventriglia's Madame Butterfly with Sabrina Brazzo and Jas Art Ballet

The Jas Art Ballet Company was formed in 2013 by the husband and wife team Sabrina Brazzo and Andrea Volpintesta, both formerly with the ballet company at La Scala (she a principal dancer). In six … [Read more...] about Jas Art Ballet Company’s Opera Danza Festival in Milan

Roberto Bolle’s Dance with Me on New Year’s Day features Alessandra Ferri

23 December 2018 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Roberto Bolle presenting the new edition of Danza con me 1

Roberto Bolle’s programme Danza con me (Dance with Me) won the Rose D'Or for the Best European Entertainment programme at the 57th edition of the awards in Berlin in September. Not surprisingly, the … [Read more...] about Roberto Bolle’s Dance with Me on New Year’s Day features Alessandra Ferri

Proscaenium’s Gran Gala with the best of Italy’s dancing talent

6 June 2017 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Gran Gala

Gramilano has already written about Cincia Puricelli’s dancing school Proscaenium, which is based in Gallarate, a town near Milan’s Malpensa airport. An ordinary town, and on the surface an ordinary … [Read more...] about Proscaenium’s Gran Gala with the best of Italy’s dancing talent

The tale of a dyslexic ballerina

26 May 2017 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Sabrina at Teatro alla Scala

Sabrina Brazzo, former Principal Dancer at La Scala – but still dancing wonderfully – is dyslexic, and she has put her story onstage. Dyslexia isn’t just about difficulty with reading and writing, … [Read more...] about The tale of a dyslexic ballerina

Mauro Bigonzetti’s new work for La Scala: preview of Progetto Händel

5 May 2017 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Progetto Handel   Svetlana Zakharova and Roberto Bolle in rehearsal   photo by Brescia and Amisano, Teatro alla Scala 1

La Scala’s series of chamber music ballets which started with Heinz Spoerli’s Cello Suites, followed by a new commission from Massimiliano Volpini of Il giardino degli amanti (The Lovers’ Garden) is … [Read more...] about Mauro Bigonzetti’s new work for La Scala: preview of Progetto Händel

Spellbound Contemporary Ballet and Gala DanzaEccellenze at Milan’s Teatro Carcano

26 March 2016 by Gramilano 1 Comment

The Teatro Carcano in Milan is trying to forge ahead with a project to feature dance, especially contemporary dance, on its stage. Dance in Milan tends to be dominated by La Scala, while other … [Read more...] about Spellbound Contemporary Ballet and Gala DanzaEccellenze at Milan’s Teatro Carcano

My Big Fat Italian Ballet Gala

3 November 2015 by Gramilano 15 Comments

The Gala des Étoiles at La Scala made me feel as though I’d eaten all the icing on the cake: happy, but a little woozy. Don Q? Check! Corsaire? Check! Manon and Romeo and Juliet? Check! Spartacus? … [Read more...] about My Big Fat Italian Ballet Gala

Full programme of la Scala’s Gala des Étoiles – 30 and 31 October

27 October 2015 by Gramilano 5 Comments

Below is the full programme of Gala des Étoiles, at La Scala on 30 and 31 October. The Gala will be transmitted live by Italian television, Rai, on Rai5, and in cinemas internationally both live and … [Read more...] about Full programme of la Scala’s Gala des Étoiles – 30 and 31 October

Sabrina Brazzo & Co take their all-leather ballet to the Lincoln Center

20 July 2015 by Gramilano 2 Comments

Tonight, at the Lincoln Center in New York, a new Italian ballet will take to the stage which features almost only leather costumes. When the piece made its début in Milan two years ago, I … [Read more...] about Sabrina Brazzo & Co take their all-leather ballet to the Lincoln Center

The Kings of Dance have a Queen: Svetlana Lunkina

11 September 2013 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Kings of Dance will come to London with their newly crowned queen, Svetlana Lunkina. Roberto Bolle and Ivan Vasiliev will perform Roland Petit's Le Jeune Homme et la Mort, with ex-Bolshoi star … [Read more...] about The Kings of Dance have a Queen: Svetlana Lunkina

Leather tutus take to the stage in Milan

9 February 2013 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

A Nabucco or Norma with leather costumes wouldn't raise an eyebrow, but a ballet? Boots and belts maybe, but tutus and frocks? This was the conceit behind The Cloak of the Dragon presented at Milan's … [Read more...] about Leather tutus take to the stage in Milan

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NEWS

Royal Academy of Dance acquires Dancing Times photographic archive

[Review] Eun-Me Ahn’s ‘Dragons – “Like a large plate of tasteless food”

A final bow for Russell Janzen: From Danseur Noble to creating Contemporary Ballet

World premiere of film of Kenneth MacMillan’s Sea of Troubles

Matthew Bourne’s Edward Scissorhands embarks on six-month UK tour

The Royal Ballet celebrates Bronislava Nijinska in free livestream

Phoenix Dance Theatre appoints Marcus Jarrell Willis as new artistic director

Prison cancels opera about violent gangster and gay composer Ivor Novello

Scottish Ballet’s Twice-Born double bill in rehearsal

SlowDancing/NYCB – hyper slow-motion films of New York City Ballet dancers in NYC

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How to stage a ballet… Maina Gielgud explains

Vadim Muntagirov answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Dancers’ Edition

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In conversation with Marianela Nuñez

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

Vittorio Grigolo’s new women’s shoes and a song for Hillary Clinton

Gregory Kunde as Otello, photo by Matthias Baus, Teatro alla Scala 2015

Top opera singers discuss how they choose and prepare new roles

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Renata Scotto vs Maria Callas – the 1970 fight at La Scala

The Tricks of the Trocks: powder, ice and pointe shoes

Romeo and Juliet with Sergei Polunin

Sergei Polunin on sex change, his new girlfriend, and manning up

António Casalinho, photo by Nikita Alba crop

António Casalinho – Introducing the 17-year-old Portuguese Dancer

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.

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