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Tchaikovsky

[Interview] Russian baritone Aleksei Isaev: Music is not politics

19 April 2023 by Alisa Alekseeva 1 Comment

Aleksei Isaev

Guest author Alisa Alekseeva talks to Russian baritone Aleksei Isaev Russian opera singer Aleksei Isaev regularly sings at the major European theatres. Last month he finished a run of performances … [Read more...] about [Interview] Russian baritone Aleksei Isaev: Music is not politics

[Review] Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Swan Lake with guest Polina Semionova

21 February 2023 by Jonathan Gray 2 Comments

Birmingham Royal Ballet, Swan Lake, photo by Bill Cooper

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

[Review] Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty: a joyous performance with the ‘wow’ factor

8 December 2022 by Deborah Weiss 1 Comment

10_Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty, photo by Johan Persson with New Adventures Dancers Andrew Monaghan and Ashley Shaw

Guest author Deborah Weiss sees Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty in London TitleSleeping BeautyCompanyNew AdventuresVenueSadler's Wells, LondonDate3 December 2022ReviewerDeborah Weiss It was good … [Read more...] about [Review] Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty: a joyous performance with the ‘wow’ factor

Günther Groissböck at La Scala – triumphant with caution

1 July 2019 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Günther Groissböck © Brescia e Amisano, Teatro alla Scala 2019

Günther Groissböck’s entrance at La Scala for his recital was formal and perfectly polite, but gave away nothing about the man; and so it was during the first group of Leid by Brahms, the Vier ernste … [Read more...] about Günther Groissböck at La Scala – triumphant with caution

Olga Peretyatko – the generous and gifted artist in recital at La Scala

5 July 2018 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Olga Peretyatko with her pianist Giulio Zappa during an autograph session after her recital

Olga Peretyatko was in glorious voice for her captivating recital at La Scala. Beautiful on both the eye and the ear she charmed throughout her highly demanding and lengthy programme, bewitching the … [Read more...] about Olga Peretyatko – the generous and gifted artist in recital at La Scala

István Simon on the Semperoper Ballett dancing William Forsythe at the Palais Garnier, Paris

3 January 2017 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

In the Middle Somewhat Elevated with Zarina Stahnke, photo by Ian Whalen

William Forsythe’s In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated was created for the Paris Opera Ballet who have performed it at home and abroad since 1987. The piece entered the repertoire of Dresden’s Semperoper … [Read more...] about István Simon on the Semperoper Ballett dancing William Forsythe at the Palais Garnier, Paris

En Avant’s next ballet projects include a special encounter with Marcelo Gomes

13 March 2015 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

The En Avant Foundation will present specialised coaching master classes for advanced pre-professional and professional dancers in San Francisco and in New York in April 2015. The Foundation's … [Read more...] about En Avant’s next ballet projects include a special encounter with Marcelo Gomes

Rosalind Plowright’s first recital disc reviewed: La belle Dame sans merci

6 May 2014 by Gramilano 3 Comments

During a career spanning almost forty years, Rosalind Plowright has never recorded a recital disc. She has sung in all the world's greatest opera houses, with the most lauded of colleagues - singers, … [Read more...] about Rosalind Plowright’s first recital disc reviewed: La belle Dame sans merci

Thiago Soares answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Dancers’ Edition

20 January 2013 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Q&A When did you start dan­cing? I started age 15. Why did you start dan­cing? When I joined the Centro de Dança Rio it felt right, and I felt like I had found something that I had … [Read more...] about Thiago Soares answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Dancers’ Edition

Great Russian soprano Galina Vishnevskaya dies at 86

11 December 2012 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Russian opera legend Galina Vishnevskaya has died today, December 11, at the age of 86. Vishnevskaya was born in St Petersburg (Leningrad) 25 October 1926, and cast out by her parents at six weeks. … [Read more...] about Great Russian soprano Galina Vishnevskaya dies at 86

Daniel Barenboim gets an early 70th birthday present in Berlin

14 November 2012 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

On the eve of his 70th birthday, Daniel Barenboim has succeeded in launching a dream project: the creation of a music academy where young Arabs and Israelis will be able to train and study side by … [Read more...] about Daniel Barenboim gets an early 70th birthday present in Berlin

Igor Yebra answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Dancers’ Edition

17 October 2012 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Q&A When did you start dancing? When I was 13 years old. Why did you start dancing? Because I liked it and in my house it was something normal to see ballet; although first I wanted to be a … [Read more...] about Igor Yebra answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Dancers’ Edition

Critics round-up: Peter Schaufuss’ Tchaikovsky Trilogy

30 July 2012 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

This promises to be the most fun critics round-up yet. Rarely have reviews been so unanimously foul. Being that there was so little to save, the critics left their stars in the drawer, and polished … [Read more...] about Critics round-up: Peter Schaufuss’ Tchaikovsky Trilogy

Tonight Roberto Bolle and Friends alight at the 15,000-seater Roman Arena in Verona

23 July 2012 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Tonight Verona's famous Arena is sold out. All 15,000 seats will be full to watch Roberto Bolle and his 'friends' dance in the open air. It is a magical place. Italy's Il Sole 24 Ore (the … [Read more...] about Tonight Roberto Bolle and Friends alight at the 15,000-seater Roman Arena in Verona

Giuseppe Picone answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Dancers’ Edition

8 February 2012 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Q&A When did you start dan­cing? I started when I was 10 years old at the Teatro San Carlo ballet school in Naples. Why did you start dan­cing? My elder brother Raffaele took me to the … [Read more...] about Giuseppe Picone answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Dancers’ Edition

Pianist Alexis Weissenberg dies at 82

10 January 2012 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Bulgarian pianist Alexis Weissenberg has died aged 82. Born into a Jewish family in Sofia, Weissenberg began piano lessons at the age of three with his mother, giving his first public performance … [Read more...] about Pianist Alexis Weissenberg dies at 82

“Who’s pulling the strings in Russia’s ballet revolution?” asks The Observer’s Luke Jennings

1 January 2012 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

The ballet world was surprised when Nacho Duato (ex-director of Spain's Compañía Nacional de Danza) was headhunted by St Petersburg's Mikhailovsky Theatre, maybe enticed by the fat wallet of general … [Read more...] about “Who’s pulling the strings in Russia’s ballet revolution?” asks The Observer’s Luke Jennings

Critics Round-up: Royal Ballet’s Sleeping Beauty

9 November 2011 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

In 2006 Monica Mason decided to go back to the beginning with the Royal Ballet's signature ballet, The Sleeping Beauty: consign the 2003 Makarova disaster ("dramatically shapeless and emotionally … [Read more...] about Critics Round-up: Royal Ballet’s Sleeping Beauty

Doing arabesques on your husband’s head maybe a strange way to keep a marriage alive. Wei and Wu know otherwise…

2 November 2011 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Guangdong Acrobatic Troupe of China's Swan Lake, premiered in 2005, has been delighting YouTube viewers for years, and more recently the company started touring its version even to important ballet … [Read more...] about Doing arabesques on your husband’s head maybe a strange way to keep a marriage alive. Wei and Wu know otherwise…

Critics Round-up: New York City Ballet’s Ocean’s Kingdom

2 October 2011 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

The review headlines ran "That Sinking Feeling", "Soggy Ocean Kingdom", "All Wet" - you get the idea. But this was Sir Paul McCartney's début in the world of ballet, the company was the great Yew … [Read more...] about Critics Round-up: New York City Ballet’s Ocean’s Kingdom

Critics Round-up: Royal Ballet in Jewels

22 September 2011 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

This production opens Monica Mason's last season as director of the Royal Ballet. To recall the company as it was 10 years ago, after the dreadful year in which Ross Stretton’s directorship had … [Read more...] about Critics Round-up: Royal Ballet in Jewels

Critics’ Roundup: the Mariinsky in London, Swan Lake

27 July 2011 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

In a splattering of mainly four and five-star reviews it was, perhaps surprisingly, the Financial Times's Clement Crisp, maybe the hardest critic to please, who showered compliments over the company … [Read more...] about Critics’ Roundup: the Mariinsky in London, Swan Lake

Doodles in the Bolshoi archives

20 July 2011 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

The death of a tyrant, abduction by the secret police and insight into the minds of some of the greatest composers in history are all part of the details that Russia’s Bolshoi Theatre has discovered … [Read more...] about Doodles in the Bolshoi archives

Diana Vishneva Gala Performance programme – Mariinsky Theatre, 23rd June 2011

PART I Errand into the Maze one-act ballet Music: Gian Carlo Menotti Choreography: Martha Graham Staging at the Mariinsky Theatre: Miki Orihara Sets: Isamu Noguchi Costumes: … [Read more...] about Diana Vishneva Gala Performance programme – Mariinsky Theatre, 23rd June 2011

Ask me anything, said piano star Lang Lang

9 May 2011 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Readers of The Times asked Lang Lang questions - here are some of his answers: What’s the one thing that no one knows about you? LL: Every time when my flight is landing, I switch on the overhead … [Read more...] about Ask me anything, said piano star Lang Lang

Teatro alla Scala – Gala des Étoiles 2011

Teatro alla Scala - Gala des Étoiles 27th and 29th April 2011 First part   Roberto Bolle - Massimo Murru Chant du compagnon errant Choreography Maurice Béjart Music Gustav Mahler Lieder … [Read more...] about Teatro alla Scala – Gala des Étoiles 2011

Leonid Sarafanov and Olesia Novikova are the true stars at La Scala’s Gala des Étoiles

28 April 2011 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

The greatest applause during last night's gala at La Scala was reserved for Leonid Sarafanov and Olesya Novikova in the Tchaikovsky Pas de deux. As the applause faded a voice called out "these are … [Read more...] about Leonid Sarafanov and Olesia Novikova are the true stars at La Scala’s Gala des Étoiles

That’s a lots of Manons – 8 casts, 15 performances and a sold-out notice guaranteed

16 April 2011 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

The Royal Ballet's signature ballet Manon returns next week for a 15 show run. That's a lot for a narrative ballet that doesn't possess a Tchaikovsky score! But it is the casting that astounds - … [Read more...] about That’s a lots of Manons – 8 casts, 15 performances and a sold-out notice guaranteed

American Ballet Theatre in London – now booking

3 January 2011 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Recognised as one of America's national treasures, few ballet companies equal American Ballet Theatre for its combination of size, scope, and sheer skill. The company's vast repertoire takes in all of … [Read more...] about American Ballet Theatre in London – now booking

Alastair Macaulay completes his Nutcrackerthon

3 January 2011 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

The ever-entertaining and perspicacious Alastair Macaulay in the New York Times has completed his Nutcrackerthon. What’s “The Nutcracker” really about? Within its tale of children, the magician … [Read more...] about Alastair Macaulay completes his Nutcrackerthon

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GRAHAM SPICER

Writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano’) about dance, opera, music and photography for people who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like. I was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. My scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times. I write the ‘Danza in Italia’ column for Dancing Times magazine.

You can find me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, or follow my Facebook page.

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