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
Tchaikovsky
Olga Peretyatko – the generous and gifted artist in recital at La Scala
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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…
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
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
Video of L.A. Opera’s changeover from ‘Cosi’ to ‘Onegin’ in 4 1/2 hours (video only 4 minutes!)
Opera audiences are used to seeing performances awash in spectacle. But they rarely get to glimpse the magic that occurs between shows -- namely, “the changeover,” when one production is taken down … [Read more...] about Video of L.A. Opera’s changeover from ‘Cosi’ to ‘Onegin’ in 4 1/2 hours (video only 4 minutes!)
Critics Round-up: Royal Ballet in Jewels
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
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
