• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Gramilano logo 2023

- dance, opera, photography...

  • HOME
  • POPULAR POSTS
    • DANCE
    • MUSIC & OPERA
    • PHOTOGRAPHY
  • QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
    • DANCERS
    • SINGERS
  • MY PHOTOS
  • CONTACT

Valery Gergiev

Pro-Putin dancer Sergei Polunin’s show to be staged in Milan in January

22 December 2022 by Gramilano 8 Comments

sergei polunin social media post 2022

On 28 and 29 January 2023, the Teatro degli Arcimboldi in Milan will present Rasputin, a project by and starring Sergei Polunin – the ‘rock star of world dance’ according to the theatre’s … [Read more...] about Pro-Putin dancer Sergei Polunin’s show to be staged in Milan in January

Putin’s conductor stole millions from his own charity

29 April 2022 by Gramilano 2 Comments

Valery Gergievfoto: Marco Borggreve

Valery Gergiev has embezzled millions of euros from his own charity, the Valery Gergiev Charity Foundation, to build an extensive property portfolio, according to the Moscow-based Anti-Corruption … [Read more...] about Putin’s conductor stole millions from his own charity

La Scala replaces the silent Valery Gergiev

3 March 2022 by Gramilano 8 Comments

Timur Zangiev

On Tuesday evening (1 March), La Scala’s Intendant Dominique Meyer wrote a letter to Valery Gergiev informing him that La Scala will now hand over to a new conductor the performances of Tchaikovsky's … [Read more...] about La Scala replaces the silent Valery Gergiev

Anna Netrebko cancels Adriana Lecouvreur performances at La Scala

1 March 2022 by Gramilano 2 Comments

Anna Netrebko at La Scala-05

La Scala finds itself scrambling to find a conductor for the remaining performances of The Queen of Spades from 4 March after Valery Gergiev refused to denounce the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and … [Read more...] about Anna Netrebko cancels Adriana Lecouvreur performances at La Scala

La Scala asks Valery Gergiev to denounce the invasion of Ukraine or leave

24 February 2022 by Gramilano 7 Comments

Valery Gergiev, photo by Mike Vilchuk © Teatro Mariinsky 2022

Last night, a new production of The Queen of Spades, conducted by Valery Gergiev, opened at La Scala. Gergiev – sometimes called ‘the Tsar’ because of his friendship with Vladimir Putin – was … [Read more...] about La Scala asks Valery Gergiev to denounce the invasion of Ukraine or leave

The Verbier Festival returns to medici.tv

6 July 2021 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Valery Gergiev © Alexander Shapunov

More than 30 concerts from the 2021 Verbier Festival will be broadcast live and available on replay on medici.tv Medici.tv will stream 32 concerts live from the Verbier Festival for the fifteenth … [Read more...] about The Verbier Festival returns to medici.tv

La Scala 2021-2022 Opera Season and new philosophy

31 May 2021 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Irina Brook

Despite the interruptions imposed by lockdowns and outbreaks of disease during the Season 2020-2021 La Scala managed to put on over 100 performances. The various closures also gave the theatre’s … [Read more...] about La Scala 2021-2022 Opera Season and new philosophy

La Scala, Milan: Opera and Recital Season 2018 – 2019

30 May 2018 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Teatro alla Scala

OPERA SEASON 2018 - 2019 La Scala announced its 2018-2019 Opera season today with 15 titles, nine of which are new productions, and two are La Scala premieres. At the heart of the season remains the … [Read more...] about La Scala, Milan: Opera and Recital Season 2018 – 2019

Franco Vassallo answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Singers’ Edition

5 November 2017 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Franco Vassallo

Q&A   in italiano When did you start singing? When I was 11 to a disc of Rigoletto with Gobbi, Callas and Di Stefano; a blanket on my shoulder and an umbrella served as my cloak and … [Read more...] about Franco Vassallo answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Singers’ Edition

14 minutes of applause for Anna Netrebko at La Scala in La traviata [interview and photos]

12 March 2017 by Gramilano 8 Comments

La traviata with Anna Netrebko, Francesco Meli and Leo Nucci © Teatro alla Scala, Amisano e Brescia, 2017 06

Anna Netrebko has returned to La Scala to sing Violetta as she sings ‘addio’ to the role. She will sing in a Traviata once more in Paris next February, and then that’s it for the curvy Russian and the … [Read more...] about 14 minutes of applause for Anna Netrebko at La Scala in La traviata [interview and photos]

Xander Parish on life with the Mariinsky Ballet

4 November 2016 by Gramilano 3 Comments

Xander Parish   photo by Katya Kravtsova cropped

You were recently promoted to First Soloist at the Mariinsky Ballet. Happy? Yes, I was promoted after a show of Giselle back in January and it was quite out of the blue! Leaving the corps Xander … [Read more...] about Xander Parish on life with the Mariinsky Ballet

Vaganova Ballet Academy to open a new school in Vladivostok – 10,000 km from St Petersburg

23 June 2016 by Gramilano 3 Comments

by guest blogger Elizaveta Dilanyan On 18 June it was announced that Vaganova Ballet Academy will open a second campus in Vladivostok, the capital of the Primorsky Krai province, in far … [Read more...] about Vaganova Ballet Academy to open a new school in Vladivostok – 10,000 km from St Petersburg

Maya Plisetskaya’s 90th birthday celebrated in concerts and exhibitions

19 November 2015 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

20 November 2015 would have been Maya Plisetskaya's 90th birthday. The great Russian ballerina, who died on 2 May this year, will be remembered in a series of events in Moscow and St Petersburg. On … [Read more...] about Maya Plisetskaya’s 90th birthday celebrated in concerts and exhibitions

Nikolay Tsiskaridze’s first two years at the helm of the Vaganova

10 November 2015 by Gramilano 11 Comments

The 28th of October 2015 marked the end of Nikolay Tsiskaridze’s first two years as head of the Vaganova Academy and the staff celebrated the occasion with a small get together. His appointment was … [Read more...] about Nikolay Tsiskaridze’s first two years at the helm of the Vaganova

Romeo and Juliet with the Mariinsky in Milan… and no nude kings

12 September 2015 by Gramilano 3 Comments

What a great evening out: Romeo and Juliet with the Mariinsky and Valery Gergiev conducting. However, not a costume or piece of scenery in sight… just Gergiev with his orchestra performing the Romeo … [Read more...] about Romeo and Juliet with the Mariinsky in Milan… and no nude kings

Cecilia Bartoli: “Contemporary composers can’t write for opera singers like me”

13 October 2014 by Gramilano 7 Comments

I've been following this project for eight years and I've been to St Petersburg many times in train or by ship, because I don't like flying; one of the most beautiful trips was on the icebreaker from … [Read more...] about Cecilia Bartoli: “Contemporary composers can’t write for opera singers like me”

Tsiskaridze’s reputation is not as high as state officials’ wives would have you believe

5 November 2013 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Earlier today, teachers at the Vaganova Ballet Academy published an open letter, written in four languages, to President Vladimir Putin asking him to reconsider the appointment of Nikolay … [Read more...] about Tsiskaridze’s reputation is not as high as state officials’ wives would have you believe

Diana Vishneva ‘outraged’ by the appointment of Tsiskaridze at the Vaganova Academy

30 October 2013 by Gramilano 7 Comments

Valery Gergiev says he is delighted at the appointment of Nikolay Tsiskaridze as the new head of the historic Vaganova Ballet Academy, but not everyone is so happy. Diana Vishneva, herself a … [Read more...] about Diana Vishneva ‘outraged’ by the appointment of Tsiskaridze at the Vaganova Academy

Tsiskaridze is Principal and Lopatkina the new Artistic Director of the Vaganova Academy

28 October 2013 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Nikolay Tsiskaridze has been appointed Principal of the Vaganova Ballet Academy, and Ulyana Lopatkina will be its new Artistic Director. Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky told … [Read more...] about Tsiskaridze is Principal and Lopatkina the new Artistic Director of the Vaganova Academy

Cecilia Bartoli takes a ship to join Valery Gergiev in St Petersburg

21 March 2012 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Yesterday, before Cecilia Bartoli's highly anticipated concert at the Mariinsky Theater Concert Hall in St Peterburg tomorrow evening, she gave a press conference alongside Valery Gergiev who will … [Read more...] about Cecilia Bartoli takes a ship to join Valery Gergiev in St Petersburg

BP will support the Mariinsky UK tours for the next 3 years

17 June 2011 by Gramilano 1 Comment

BP and the Mariinsky Theatre today announced a joint programme that will give music lovers in the United Kingdom the chance to experience the very best of Russian opera, ballet and classical music. BP … [Read more...] about BP will support the Mariinsky UK tours for the next 3 years

Primary Sidebar

SUBSCRIBE

Gramilano newsletter 2019

CATEGORIES

FOLLOW

  • 21,200 Subscribers
  • 22,866 Followers
  • 235k Followers
  • 602 Subscribers
  • 3,475 Followers
  • 20,023 Followers

NEWS

[Review] Eun-Me Ahn’s ‘Dragons – “Like a large plate of tasteless food”

A final bow for Russell Janzen: From Danseur Noble to creating Contemporary Ballet

World premiere of film of Kenneth MacMillan’s Sea of Troubles

Matthew Bourne’s Edward Scissorhands embarks on six-month UK tour

The Royal Ballet celebrates Bronislava Nijinska in free livestream

Phoenix Dance Theatre appoints Marcus Jarrell Willis as new artistic director

Prison cancels opera about violent gangster and gay composer Ivor Novello

Scottish Ballet’s Twice-Born double bill in rehearsal

SlowDancing/NYCB – hyper slow-motion films of New York City Ballet dancers in NYC

There’s a new Nutcracker in town – Drew McOnie’s vision will open at the Tuff Nutt Jazz Club

FEATURED POSTS

Gregory Kunde as Otello, photo by Matthias Baus, Teatro alla Scala 2015

Top opera singers discuss how they choose and prepare new roles

Lawrence Brownlee, © Shervin Lainez

Interview with tenor Lawrence Brownlee on being a black man in America: Cycles of My Being

Vadim Muntagirov answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Dancers’ Edition

Lauren Cuthbertson by Clive Barda

Interview with The Royal Ballet’s Lauren Cuthbertson – so much passion

How to stage a ballet… Maina Gielgud explains

You choose it out of Love! Dancing with the Khan-MacKay family

English National Ballet in Derek Deane's Swan Lake, photo by ASH, Arnaud Stephenson, 2013

Derek Deane on 20 years of his Swan Lake ‘in the round’

Coppélia with Vadim Muntagirov and Marianela Nunez, photo by Bill Cooper ROH

Interview: The Royal Ballet’s Ballet Master, Christopher Carr, on mounting Coppélia, the company’s dancers and technique

The Tricks of the Trocks: powder, ice and pointe shoes

Romeo and Juliet with Sergei Polunin

Sergei Polunin on sex change, his new girlfriend, and manning up

GRAMILANO

Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan, aka ‘Gramilano’. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times. He wrote the ‘Danza in Italia’ column for Dancing Times magazine.

Since 2022, Gramilano is pleased to welcome guest authors: Alisa Alekseeva, Paul Arrowsmith, Kathrina Farrugia-Kriel, Jonathan Gray, Marina Harss, Matthew Paluch, Jann Parry, Graham Watts, and Deborah Weiss.

Referred-to-by

SEARCH

Copyright © 2023 · Gramilano · All rights reserved

about me · contact me · privacy and cookies

Would you like to receive an email
whenever we publish a new post?

SUBSCRIBE