The Covid-safe dance piece 4 stagioni (Four Seasons) was created for Rome Opera Ballet after the opera, dance and concert summer programme at the Caracalla Baths was cancelled in May. Opera Roma decided to use the much larger stage and seating area of Circo Massimo (Circus Maximus) to present two new works – a Rigoletto and the 4 stagioni – as well as several concerts. The … [Read more...] about Eleonora Abbagnato shines in Four Seasons, created for strange times
Rome Opera Ballet
In conversation with Marianela Nuñez
The Royal Ballet’s Argentinian principal dancer, Marianela Nuñez, is in lockdown in Buenos Aires. She went there to be near her family and partner, because now home, for Nela, is London, which also happens to be home to her beloved company at The Royal Opera House. We caught up via Skype in June: I was in my office in Milan, and Nela was 11,000 km away, sitting against an … [Read more...] about In conversation with Marianela Nuñez
Rome’s Caracalla Baths summer season cancelled – Bocelli, Bolle, Baglioni, opera and ballet
Rome Opera has cancelled the open-air season of opera, ballet and concerts at the Caracalla Baths. Events affected are the 12 concerts by Claudio Baglioni in June called “12 Notes”, a concert by Andrea Bocelli, two evenings with Roberto Bolle and Friends, a concert with David Garrett and the entire season from Rome Opera and Rome Opera Ballet. All the events will be … [Read more...] about Rome’s Caracalla Baths summer season cancelled – Bocelli, Bolle, Baglioni, opera and ballet
Étoile Eleonora Abbagnato in isolation on Ibiza
The children were on a break from their school, the Lycée français in Rome, so we went to our house on Ibiza, and now we’re blocked here. We haven’t been out for three weeks. It’s a drama here too. And that’s how the étoile of the Paris Opera Ballet and director of the Rome Opera Ballet Eleonora Abbagnato finds herself in isolation on the Spanish island of Ibiza in the time … [Read more...] about Étoile Eleonora Abbagnato in isolation on Ibiza
Erik Bruhn and Carla Fracci – Romeo and Juliet, 1966
Erik Bruhn choreographed a version of Romeo and Juliet, which he and Carla Fracci danced with the Rome Opera Ballet in 1966. Between performances, they recorded the balcony scene, which today has been uploaded to YouTube for the first time. A year later, the two danced Bruhn's version with the American Ballet Theatre in New York. https://youtu.be/N02YoCdSei4 In Fracci's … [Read more...] about Erik Bruhn and Carla Fracci – Romeo and Juliet, 1966
Balletto di Roma in Io, Don Chisciotte: compact yet powerful storytelling
The Balletto di Roma’s take on Don Quixote – Io, Don Chisciotte (I, Don Quixote) – is a thoroughly successful reimagining of the story that uses the Minkus ballet score for an hour of compact yet powerful storytelling. The Balletto di Roma is not to be confused with the Rome Opera Ballet: it is a contemporary dance group, founded sixty years ago in Italy’s capital. The … [Read more...] about Balletto di Roma in Io, Don Chisciotte: compact yet powerful storytelling
Danza&Danza Awards 2019 announced
The critics of the Italian magazine Danza&Danza (which also has an edition in English) huddle together at the beginning of each year to decided the ‘best’ of the previous year in Italian dance and dance seen in Italy. The jury, since 1987, has always underlined its objectivity and honesty in its selection of interpreters, productions and choreographers from Italy and … [Read more...] about Danza&Danza Awards 2019 announced
Rome Opera Ballet names its main dance studio after the late Elisabetta Terabust
The Intendant at Rome Opera, Carlo Fuortes, and the director of the opera house’s ballet company, Eleonora Abbagnato, together with theatre employees, today inaugurated the Sala Elisabetta Terabust, the main ballet rehearsal room, formerly known as Sala Ballo A. Virginia Raggi, Rome’s mayor, said, Elisabetta Terabust, a woman with a strong personality, was appreciated … [Read more...] about Rome Opera Ballet names its main dance studio after the late Elisabetta Terabust
Dancing Times, September edition – with Gramilano’s Danza in Italia column including Woolf Works at La Scala and a Glass triple bill in Rome
The latest issue of Dancing Times is out tomorrow. In September’s issue, I cover Wayne McGregor’s “amazing” Woolf Works at La Scala with Alessandra Ferri giving a “frighteningly intense” performance alongside an excellent cast from La Scala Ballet including “powerful and touching” performances from Timofej Andrijashenko as Septimus and Claudio Coviello as Evans, and Gioacchino … [Read more...] about Dancing Times, September edition – with Gramilano’s Danza in Italia column including Woolf Works at La Scala and a Glass triple bill in Rome
Russian ballet star Vladimir Derevianko on Rome Ballet’s Eleonora Abbagnato
Vladimir Derevianko, Russian dancer, coach, choreographer, company director, and TV panellist, has an international understanding of dance and, being that he is based in Rome, is ideally positioned to see the recent problems at Rome Opera Ballet objectively. He left an interview with Adnkronos, the news agency that first published the letter from the trade unions representing … [Read more...] about Russian ballet star Vladimir Derevianko on Rome Ballet’s Eleonora Abbagnato