Birmingham Royal Ballet will say farewell to Principal dancer Brandon Lawrence at the end of the 2022/2023 season when he leaves to join Ballett Zürich for Cathy Marston’s first season as … [Read more...] about Principal Brandon Lawrence to leave Birmingham Royal Ballet to join Ballett Zürich
Polina Semionova
[Photo Album] Polina Semionova and Brandon Lawrence in Swan Lake
Guest ballerina Polina Semionova danced in Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Swan Lake with the company's principal dancer Brandon Lawrence on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 February 2023. Jonathan Gray went to … [Read more...] about [Photo Album] Polina Semionova and Brandon Lawrence in Swan Lake
[Review] Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Swan Lake with guest Polina Semionova
Jonathan Gray goes on another trip to the lake to see Polina Semionova take to the stage of Birmingham Hippodrome TitleSwan LakeCompanyBirmingham Royal BalletVenueBirmingham HippodromeDate17 February … [Read more...] about [Review] Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Swan Lake with guest Polina Semionova
Dancing Times, November 2019 edition – with Gramilano’s Danza in Italia column including Sleeping Beauty at La Scala and Pink Floyd in Verona
The latest issue of Dancing Times magazine (out on Friday) contains a double-page spread dedicated to the Gramilano 'Danza in Italia' column reviews, with a look at Rudolph Nureyev's Sleeping Beauty … [Read more...] about Dancing Times, November 2019 edition – with Gramilano’s Danza in Italia column including Sleeping Beauty at La Scala and Pink Floyd in Verona
In with the old – La Scala returns to Nureyev’s Sleeping Beauty
If there is a ballet that belongs to La Scala, it’s Rudolf Nureyev’s production of The Sleeping Beauty, created for the ballet company in 1966 with Carla Fracci and Nureyev in the main roles. It was … [Read more...] about In with the old – La Scala returns to Nureyev’s Sleeping Beauty
Les Étoiles in Rome – Nuñez, Muntagirov, Novikova, Sarafanov, Alexandrova, Lantratov, Semionova…
Les Étoiles in Rome - Marianela Nuñez, Vadim Muntagirov, Olesya Novikova, Leonid Sarafanov, Maria Alexandrova, Vladislav Lantratov, Polina Semionova, Dmitry Semionov, Tatiana Melnik, Bakhtiyar … [Read more...] about Les Étoiles in Rome – Nuñez, Muntagirov, Novikova, Sarafanov, Alexandrova, Lantratov, Semionova…
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 … [Read more...] about Antipasto to the annual Les Étoiles gala in Rome with Russian and Italian ballet stars
The world’s ballet Étoiles army arrives in Rome, conquering with its art
It’s become an annual event in Rome – after the Christmas holidays and the last bite of panettone, comes the Daniele Cipriani Entertainment dance gala with some of the best and biggest names in ballet … [Read more...] about The world’s ballet Étoiles army arrives in Rome, conquering with its art
Roberto Bolle’s Dance with Me on New Year’s Day features Alessandra Ferri
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
La Scala Ballet Season 2018-2019 announced
The new ballet season at La Scala sees seven programmes, including three pieces being presented at the theatre for the first time, including a newly commissioned work. George Balanchine’s The … [Read more...] about La Scala Ballet Season 2018-2019 announced
VII Vaganova Prix winners are announced in St Petersburg
VII VAGANOVA-PRIX WINNERS BOYS 1st place – Lee Sangmin 2nd place – Chino Mark and Egor Geraschenko 3rd place – Zagidullin Ervin GIRLS, junior group 1st place – Bulanova Maria and Shimada … [Read more...] about VII Vaganova Prix winners are announced in St Petersburg
The 7th Vaganova-PRIX takes place in October… and now’s the time to apply
The Vaganova Ballet Academy is reviving the International Ballet Competition Vaganova-PRIX. This year will be the seventh time that the competition has been held and it will take place in St … [Read more...] about The 7th Vaganova-PRIX takes place in October… and now’s the time to apply
La Scala’s new Cinderella opens with Polina Semionova and Roberto Bolle
Mauro Bigonzetti’s new Cinderella, set to Prokofiev’s score, opened at La Scala with fine performances from Polina Semionova and Roberto Bolle as the eponymous heroine and her prince. Bolle is in … [Read more...] about La Scala’s new Cinderella opens with Polina Semionova and Roberto Bolle
Cinderellas and Princes: Fracci, Semionova, Gades and Bolle
Polina Semionova and Roberto Bolle are about to open in Mauro Bigonzetti’s new production of Cinderella for La Scala. The publicity shots for the Corriere della sera’s magazine Io donna, reminded me … [Read more...] about Cinderellas and Princes: Fracci, Semionova, Gades and Bolle
Full programme of la Scala’s Gala des Étoiles – 30 and 31 October
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
Ballet’s biggest names come to Milan for 4 days of dance
Milan is not like London or New York… there’s not a lot of dance going on. The resident company at La Scala will be performing six titles during the coming season. That’s S-I-X. And there will not be … [Read more...] about Ballet’s biggest names come to Milan for 4 days of dance
Paul Seaquist, ballet impresario: thinking outside the box
Paul Seaquist is a ballet impresario, which conjures up an image of a Diaghilev figure with a fur-collared coat and silver-topped cane. However, Seaquist is quite different physically: a recent … [Read more...] about Paul Seaquist, ballet impresario: thinking outside the box
Nicoletta Manni answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Dancers’ Edition
Q&A in italiano When did you start dancing? I started when I was tiny. Why did you start dancing? It started as a game: my mother had a dancing school and I was always asking if I … [Read more...] about Nicoletta Manni answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Dancers’ Edition
Thoughts on Marianela Núñez’s life-affirming performance in Romeo and Juliet
Marianela Núñez is an extraordinary dancer who seems to possess an inner light which not only makes her glow, but illuminates everyone around her. There is a pure, almost spiritual quality to her … [Read more...] about Thoughts on Marianela Núñez’s life-affirming performance in Romeo and Juliet
More dancers decide to leave Italy… most never come back
Italy's Got Talent. Lots of it. Sometimes that talent finds it difficult to emerge - it's not always what you know but who you know - and sometimes there's not enough room for everyone to show what … [Read more...] about More dancers decide to leave Italy… most never come back
Roberto Bolle & Friends arrives in Verona: not drunk and not vulgar!
Roberto Bolle and Friends is up and running with two dates in Genoa already ticked off the list. Tomorrow comes the Verona date at that biggest of all dance venues, the 15,000-seater Roman … [Read more...] about Roberto Bolle & Friends arrives in Verona: not drunk and not vulgar!
Bolle’s Back: the 2014 tour and being boss at La Scala
The Roberto Bolle and Friends road show gets under way again this summer, from 18 July, with a date at the Verona Arena on the 22nd, and finishing at the end of the month, taking in Genoa, Rome, … [Read more...] about Bolle’s Back: the 2014 tour and being boss at La Scala
Jack Devant, ballet photographer: freezing the beauty
There are thousands, millions, of dance photos scattered around the net, and most of the best come from just a handful of photographers. We know their copyright watermarks, we know their style, we … [Read more...] about Jack Devant, ballet photographer: freezing the beauty
Carla Fracci, Claudio Coviello and the Prix Benois 2014
For more than twenty years the Benois Prize has been recognising talent with the most starry juries imaginable. The first year it consisted of Yury Grigorovich as its president, with Galina Ulanova … [Read more...] about Carla Fracci, Claudio Coviello and the Prix Benois 2014
Stepping in for Vasiliev & Osipova: Vittoria Valerio’s turn
Natalia Osipova, down to dance with Ivan Vssiliev in Rubies at Teatro alla Scala, was indisposed for the dress rehearsal, the first night, and has now been replaced for the run by Vittoria … [Read more...] about Stepping in for Vasiliev & Osipova: Vittoria Valerio’s turn
Hallberg débuts at La Scala, with Núñez, Zakharova, Osipova, Bolle and Vasiliev
Good news for dance at La Scala. Cutting down on the budget has meant axing three opera productions, but opera's loss is ballet's gain, for the 'cheaper' ballet performances have been bumped up from … [Read more...] about Hallberg débuts at La Scala, with Núñez, Zakharova, Osipova, Bolle and Vasiliev
The Mikhailovsky Theatre opens its new season tonight with Semionova and Gomes in Giselle
Tonight the Mikhailovsky Theatre opens its 2012-2013 season with Polina Semionova dancing the eponymous heroine in Giselle. Semionova left to join the Berlin Staatsoper immediately after graduating … [Read more...] about The Mikhailovsky Theatre opens its new season tonight with Semionova and Gomes in Giselle
Balanchine’s Jewels finally sparkle at La Scala
In less than a fortnight the La Scala company has turned out its jewel-box and polished each precious stone. The shambled mess that was meant to be Balanchine's choreography has become precise, witty … [Read more...] about Balanchine’s Jewels finally sparkle at La Scala
Vadim Muntagirov – straight out of ballet school and almost ready to partner Semionova
Polina Semionova has been booked to reprise her smash-hit turn in the ENB’s Swan Lake — this time, paired with hot-but-incredibly-inexperienced Vadim Muntagirov, 20, straight out of ballet … [Read more...] about Vadim Muntagirov – straight out of ballet school and almost ready to partner Semionova