Les Étoiles in Rome – Marianela Nuñez, Vadim Muntagirov, Olesya Novikova, Leonid Sarafanov, Maria Alexandrova, Vladislav Lantratov, Polina Semionova, Dmitry Semionov, Tatiana Melnik, Bakhtiyar Adamzhan, Nicoletta Manni, Sergio Bernal A gala is a gala is a gala… too many bonbons leaving a slightly woozy sensation as the audience rises to its feet at the end. […]
Nacho Duato
Antipasto to the annual Les Étoiles gala in Rome with Russian and Italian ballet stars
As an antipasto to the annual Les Étoiles gala in Rome — this year a sold out two days, next year there will be three — in the luxurious setting of the Hotel de Russie near the Spanish Steps, there was an intimate reception hosted by the hotel, with a Sergei Diaghilev theme. The event […]
In Balanchine’s Nutcracker at La Scala the magic is almost real – three casts reviewed
Balanchine’s The Nutcracker is new to La Scala, in fact, new to Italy. And how the Scala regulars were relishing in the opportunity to grumble and mutter “humbug” during the interval. It’s certainly different from the Nureyev production which was seen in Milan for many years, and light-years away from the strange version by Nacho […]
Zenaida Yanowsky’s final curtain call
After 23 years with The Royal Ballet, last night Zenaida Yanowsky gave her final curtain call on the Covent Garden stage. Her final performance at the Royal Opera House was in Marguerite and Armand where she danced alongside Roberto Bolle. Her last performance with the Company, however, will be in Australia in July, performing Paulina in The […]
BALLET2000’s Special New Year Issue… in English, Italian and French Editions
BALLET2000’s Special New Year Issue, is on the newsstands now. It looks back on a year in dance with, says editor Alfio Agostini, …the best shows, trendiest dancers, most significant companies and most creative choreographers. The bi-monthly dance magazine, uniquely, comes out in three separate editions: Édition FRANCE, ENGLISH Edition and Edizione ITALIA. Each year it produces […]
Abdiel Cedric Jacobsen answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… dancers’ edition
Q&A When did you start dancing? I began dancing when I was in the womb, taught informally by my mother through the blood memory of her ancestors. My mom is Ivorian – from Côte d’Ivoire – and when we were little kids she would push aside the coffee table in the living room to teach […]
Berlin dancers say ‘Save Staatsballett Berlin!’ with a Change.org petition
You may remember dancers from the La Scala Ballet Company objecting at the decision to appoint Mauro Bigonzetti as it’s new boss and to his programming for his first season? Now dancers at Berlin have initiated a ‘Save Staatsballett Berlin!’ campaign. Although Bigonzetti was confirmed as the new director, the Berlin troupe are hoping to be […]
Choreographer Petr Zuska and the Czech National Ballet
The Czech National Ballet is one of the oldest ballet companies in the world. It was founded in 1883 to provide dances for the opera and it also put on the classics of the time introducing creations for the Ballets Russes as it entered the 1920s. However, from the ‘30s on it slowly started leaning […]
Pompea Santoro answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Dancers’ Edition
Q&A in italiano When did you start dancing? In a gym near our house when I was seven-years-old. Why did you start dancing? It was something my mother wanted me to do, and she took me to the local gym in the provinces where the teacher immediately saw my talent and advised her to take […]
Pereira announces that Carla Fracci will return to the stage of La Scala
La Scala’s new sovrintendente, Alexander Pereira, has announced that Carla Fracci, the Italian ballerina par excellence, will return to the Milanese theatre that witnessed many of her triumphs during her long career. Sig.ra Fracci could give a masterclass in the theatre as Bergonzi did for the singers; his lessons were priceless. We are also thinking of her […]
