Save the best until last. Not a bad programming policy, and with La Scala’s recent triple bill, the last was Maurice Béjart’s Boléro. Obviously, with the first item on the programme being George Balanchine’s Symphony in C it can hardly be the best for many, but the Béjart is undoubtedly a crowd-pleaser and whoops and cheers went on for a long time after Ravel’s music had … [Read more...] about Save the best until last – La Scala’s triple bill shows a company in excellent form
Roberto Bolle
Marianela Nuñez and Roberto Bolle lead a top-notch cast in Onegin at La Scala
John Cranko’s ballet Onegin was brought to La Scala in 1993 as a vehicle for Carla Fracci with Rex Harrington in the title role. It wasn’t, however, Fracci’s first contact with the ballet. Her close ties with Cranko began before he became the director of the Stuttgart Ballet when she created Juliet in his production of Romeo and Juliet for La Scala; she was 21. The inimitable … [Read more...] about Marianela Nuñez and Roberto Bolle lead a top-notch cast in Onegin at La Scala
Photo Album: Opening night at La Scala – Roberto Bolle in Bolero, Symphony in C, Petite Mort
BALANCHINE / KYLIÁN / BÉJART Opening night: Saturday 16 November 2019 SYMPHONY IN C Music Georges Bizet Choreography George Balanchine © School of American Ballet Revived by Patricia Neary Costumes Karinska Lights Andrea Giretti First movement Martina Arduino, Nicola Del Freo Second movement Nicoletta Manni, Marco Agostino Third movement Alessandra … [Read more...] about Photo Album: Opening night at La Scala – Roberto Bolle in Bolero, Symphony in C, Petite Mort
Review: Giselle at La Scala with Zakharova/Hallberg, Manni/Andrijashenko, Valerio/Coviello
Giselle is one of La Scala Ballet’s international calling cards. Together with Nureyev’s Don Quixote, this production has been seen all over the world, and rightly so. The company dances it beautifully, and its staging by Yvette Chauviré (based, of course, on the Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot choreography) would be difficult to better. It is clearly told, the story points … [Read more...] about Review: Giselle at La Scala with Zakharova/Hallberg, Manni/Andrijashenko, Valerio/Coviello
Hui He answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Singers’ Edition
When did you start singing? I always loved to sing since I was a child. I sang on every occasion, also during public events at school, where my maths teacher heard me and advised me to take singing lesson with her neighbour who was a voice teacher. He listened me, and he told me that I was ready to attend the conservatoire in Xi’an, my city. I went there, in few years I became … [Read more...] about Hui He answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Singers’ Edition
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
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 performed 152 times until 2007, when Tchaikovsky’s score fell silent for eight years until awoken by Alexei Ratmansky when he brought his reconstructed version to Milan in September … [Read more...] about In with the old – La Scala returns to Nureyev’s Sleeping Beauty
Roberto Bolle – ballet’s Mr Nice Guy – bows out
With a performance of Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon on 20 June, Roberto Bolle said goodbye to the American Ballet Theatre. He has been a principal dancer with the company over the last decade. Everyone likes Bolle, ballet’s Mr Nice Guy, who is kind to his colleagues onstage, the backstage staff, and his many fans. David Hallberg, who is also dancing in this week’s run of the … [Read more...] about Roberto Bolle – ballet’s Mr Nice Guy – bows out
Video: Carla Fracci and Roberto Bolle dance Le Spectre de la rose, 1998
Shortly before Carla Fracci's 62nd birthday, she and 23-year-old Roberto Bolle went to Toyko for the 14th Toyko Summer Music Festival dedicated to Diaghilev and 20th Century Ballet. The young star had been promoted to principal dancer at La Scala in 1996 and had already embarked on an international freelance career. On 9 and 10 July 1998 they danced Le Spectre de la rose. I … [Read more...] about Video: Carla Fracci and Roberto Bolle dance Le Spectre de la rose, 1998
La Scala Ballet Season 2019 – 2020
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 Legris based on Louis Mérante and others Story and libretto: Manuel Legris and Jean-François Vazelle based on Jules Barbier and Jacques de Reinach Sets and costumes: Luisa … [Read more...] about La Scala Ballet Season 2019 – 2020