Roberto Fascilla died yesterday morning, 23 January 2019, in Milan after a long illness.He entered the corps de ballet at Teatro alla Scala, before finishing its school, when he was just 13, and graduated from La Scala's dancing school in 1957. He became a Soloist in 1960, a Principal Dancer in 1963 and was an Etoile from 1969 to 1982. At La Scala he danced in more than 670 … [Read more...] about Roberto Fascilla, former étoile at La Scala, dies at 82
Rome Opera Ballet
Eleonora Abbagnato is confirmed as Director of the Rome Opera Ballet until 2021
Rome Opera has announced that Eleonora Abbagnato, étoile of the Paris Opera Ballet and current Director of the Rome Opera Ballet, will remain in her post until 31 December 2021.Virginia Raggi, the city’s mayor and President of the Rome Opera Theatre Foundation, said,It is something of great pride for our city that we are able to confirm an étoile like Eleonora Abbagnato as … [Read more...] about Eleonora Abbagnato is confirmed as Director of the Rome Opera Ballet until 2021
The Sleeping Beauty with Marianela Nuñez and Vladislav Lantratov at the Rome Opera Ballet
Jean-Guillaume Bart, former Étoile at the Paris Opera Ballet, created his version of The Sleeping Beauty for the Yacobson Ballet Theatre in St Petersburg in 2016. His POB colleague Eleonora Abbagnato — currently both an Étoile in Paris as well as director of the Rome Opera Ballet — asked him to adapt it for Rome last year. Some of it works, some does not.He has opened up many … [Read more...] about The Sleeping Beauty with Marianela Nuñez and Vladislav Lantratov at the Rome Opera Ballet
James Hobley, Britain’s Got Talent’s autistic dancer, now 19 leaves ENB’s school to join Scottish Ballet
James Hobley, first known to the general public as a Britain’s Got Talent finalist in 2011, has graduated from English National Ballet School and has a contract to start his professional career with Scottish Ballet.I wrote about his story three years ago, because it is extraordinary and reads like a fable. Here is the beginning of that article about James becoming a … [Read more...] about James Hobley, Britain’s Got Talent’s autistic dancer, now 19 leaves ENB’s school to join Scottish Ballet
Interview with ENB Principal Isaac Hernandez : I’m dreaming of seeing real change
It was a strange feeling that all the work a person can do in their lifetime, seven days a week of dedicating your life, goes out the window and is not even mentioned, is put aside for a headline. It was shocking. Is that how quickly it goes?English National Ballet Lead Principal Isaac Hernandez is talking about recent suggestions that his romantic involvement with the … [Read more...] about Interview with ENB Principal Isaac Hernandez : I’m dreaming of seeing real change
Italian ballerina Elisabetta Terabust has died in Rome at 71
The magnificent Italian ballerina Elisabetta Terabust died in Rome this morning, 5 February, at her home near the Campo de’ Fiori, after a long illness. She was just 71.She became a Principal Dancer at the Rome Opera ballet in 1966 and an Etoile in 1972. She worked extensively with the Royal Festival Ballet (now English National Ballet) and with Roland Petit at the Ballet … [Read more...] about Italian ballerina Elisabetta Terabust has died in Rome at 71
Dance Oscars 2017 are awarded in Rome
The ceremony for the first edition of the Oscar della Danza has been held at Cinecittà World in Rome.In Italy, there are the David di Donatello awards for cinema, the Italian Musical Awards, the Franco Abbiati awards for opera, Premio Le Maschere for theatre, and many for literature, but the various dance awards — there are numerous — are often given out to those who are … [Read more...] about Dance Oscars 2017 are awarded in Rome
Nutcracker in Milan – Bouder and Macario open tomorrow night
There is a rare opportunity to see Amedeo Amodio and Emanuele Luzzati's glorious Nutcracker which has been dusted down and is ready to conqueror Italian ballet-goers once again.The famous production is from 1989, when Elisabetta Terabust and Vladimir Derevianko created the roles of Clara and Prince.At the Arcimboldi Theatre in Milan on 2 and 3 December, New York … [Read more...] about Nutcracker in Milan – Bouder and Macario open tomorrow night
Amodio and Luzzati’s Nutcracker and Coppélia once again go on tour
One of the most charming and winning productions of The Nutcracker seen in Italy during the last fifty years, was created for the relatively small company AterBalletto. The company is now known as a contemporary group (it was transformed as such by former Artistic Director Mauro Bigonzetti, whose works dominated its programming from 1997); however, from its beginnings in the … [Read more...] about Amodio and Luzzati’s Nutcracker and Coppélia once again go on tour
Passion, Love, Life… InternationBalLET makes its debut in Italy
InternationBalLET has arrived in Italy for two performances of its programme Passion, Love, Life...The newly-formed group is made up of dancers from the Hungarian State Ballet in Budapest but, remarkably, six of the twelve dancers are Italian, underlining something that this Italian-based blog has held to be true for a long time: Italians dance, they dance well, but to work … [Read more...] about Passion, Love, Life… InternationBalLET makes its debut in Italy