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Verona

A 131-CD collection to celebrate Maria Callas’ 100th birthday

23 August 2023 by Gramilano 3 Comments

Maria Callas in Paris, December 1958 crop

To celebrate the 100th birthday of Maria Callas, Warner Classics will release La Divina: Maria Callas in all her roles on 22 September 2023. The massive 131-CD collection is the most comprehensive … [Read more...] about A 131-CD collection to celebrate Maria Callas’ 100th birthday

[Interview] Agnese Di Clemente – La Scala’s newest Juliet is from Verona

12 July 2023 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Romeo and Juliet, with Agnese Di Clemente, photo by Brescia e Amisano, Teatro alla Scala 2023 crop

One of the most interesting talents at La Scala is the prettily named dancer Agnese Di Clemente, a soloist with the proportions of music box ballerina – petite and graceful. The 27-year-old comes … [Read more...] about [Interview] Agnese Di Clemente – La Scala’s newest Juliet is from Verona

New production of Verdi’s Aida opens 100th edition of Verona Arena Opera Festival

6 June 2023 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Set design, Verona Aida 2023 by Stefano Poda

Transparent pyramids and architectural lighting will feature in the new production of Aida for the 100th edition of the Verona Arena Opera Festival – a production that is technological but intimate … [Read more...] about New production of Verdi’s Aida opens 100th edition of Verona Arena Opera Festival

Giulietta – a new ballet with Eleonora Abbagnato, her daughter, and an imaginary friend

17 July 2022 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Giulietta - rehearsals with Eleonora Abbagnato, Julia Balzaretti, Simone Repele and Sasha Riva, photo Massimo Danza 10

A modern-day Juliet, still a child, imagines herself as an adult. She imagines having a Romeo of her own, as in Shakespeare’s story. The young Juliet is played by ten-year-old Julia Balzaretti, and … [Read more...] about Giulietta – a new ballet with Eleonora Abbagnato, her daughter, and an imaginary friend

Soprano Angel Blue pulls out of production at “racist” Verona Arena

16 July 2022 by Gramilano 7 Comments

Angel Blue photographed by Michelle Dudley Photography crop

“The use of blackface is offensive, humiliating, and outright racist,” said Californian soprano Angel Blue, as she announced that she was pulling out of La Traviata at the Verona Arena. She does … [Read more...] about Soprano Angel Blue pulls out of production at “racist” Verona Arena

Jonas Kaufmann on his Verona debut, new album, and love of Italy

27 June 2021 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Jonas Kaufmann and Helmut Deutsch © Lena Wunderlich, Sony Classical

This season, Jonas Kaufmann makes his debut at Verona’s Arena. I’ve been waiting a long time for this moment. To sing in the Arena, one of the most magical places in the world, has been a dream … [Read more...] about Jonas Kaufmann on his Verona debut, new album, and love of Italy

Hui He answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Singers’ Edition

9 October 2019 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Hui He at the close of a concert

When did you start singing? I always loved to sing since I was a child. I sang on every occasion, also during public events at school, where my maths teacher heard me and advised me to take singing … [Read more...] about Hui He answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Singers’ Edition

Royal Ballet’s Valentino Zucchetti is Mercutio in the Kobborg-Polunin-Cojocaru Romeo and Juliet

8 August 2019 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Valentino Zucchetti in Rhapsody, The Royal Ballet © ROH, Johan Persson 2014

On the 26 August, there will be a single performance only of Johan Kobborg’s new production of Romeo and Juliet with Sergei Polunin and Alina Cojocaru in the title roles. But when the theatre in … [Read more...] about Royal Ballet’s Valentino Zucchetti is Mercutio in the Kobborg-Polunin-Cojocaru Romeo and Juliet

Maria Callas was a tenor

4 August 2017 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Verona Sera   Maria Callas

In a bizarre muddle-up by someone at the Verona Sera online news service, a headline stated that 2 August was the 70th Anniversary of ‘tenor’ Maria Callas’s debut at the Verona Arena. Part of a … [Read more...] about Maria Callas was a tenor

Rome’s Colosseum to get its floor back

17 April 2015 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Ecco nelle foto Alinari come i visitatori vedevano e vivevano il Colosseo sino a poco più di un secolo fa. pic.twitter.com/i4w74IYUlB — Dario Franceschini (@dariofrance) November 2, 2014 Last … [Read more...] about Rome’s Colosseum to get its floor back

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

Roberto Bolle and Friends return to Verona’s 15,000 seat Arena

26 September 2013 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Roberto Bolle returns to Verona's 15,000 seat arena with his Friends roadshow next year. It will be two years, almost to the day, after his last sell-out show. On 22 July 2014, starting at 22.00, … [Read more...] about Roberto Bolle and Friends return to Verona’s 15,000 seat Arena

Mara Galeazzi’s farewell gala with her Royal Ballet friends

25 July 2013 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Summer months in Italy boast many ballet galas: Bolle & Friends, Abbagnato & Friends... who doesn't want to tour the glorious piazze of Italy: fantastic dance in fantastic settings. But this … [Read more...] about Mara Galeazzi’s farewell gala with her Royal Ballet friends

Mara Galeazzi’s addio: it’s time to think about my family

21 July 2013 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Mara Galeazzi, principal dancer with London's Royal Ballet, though trained at the La Scala school in Milan, will say goodbye to her performing career on 23 July at a starry gala with colleagues from … [Read more...] about Mara Galeazzi’s addio: it’s time to think about my family

Pavarotti gets his own mineral water and exhibition

1 May 2013 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

The makers of San Pellegrino mineral water have teamed up with the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation to produce bottles of still and sparkling with the Pavarotti label. The international launch of the … [Read more...] about Pavarotti gets his own mineral water and exhibition

The Royal Ballet’s Mara Galeazzi says arrivederci to the ballet stage

3 April 2013 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Just over a month ago the Royal Ballet announced that principal dancer Mara Galeazzi will be leaving the company: Mara Galeazzi will retire from The Royal Ballet in July 2013, at the end of the … [Read more...] about The Royal Ballet’s Mara Galeazzi says arrivederci to the ballet stage

Rosalind Plowright answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Singers’ Edition

27 December 2012 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Rosalind Plowright crop

Q&A When did you start singing?  Age 12. I had always sung before but only found my true voice at this age. My father was a bass player and had been playing in the orchestra for a performance … [Read more...] about Rosalind Plowright answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Singers’ Edition

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

The dance drain: who will save ballet in Italy?

10 July 2012 by Gramilano 2 Comments

Italians are great dancers, but they don't get much opportunity to demonstrate that in their homeland. The history of ballet is adorned with Italian talent: Giuseppina Bozzacchi was the … [Read more...] about The dance drain: who will save ballet in Italy?

A true Latin man: Vittorio Grigolo’s roving eye!

8 June 2012 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Vittorio Grigolo sang the song Caruso at Verona's Arena as a tribute to its composer Lucio Dalla who died last March at 68. It was part of an evening which marks the start of the build-up to the … [Read more...] about A true Latin man: Vittorio Grigolo’s roving eye!

The opera world’s Angelina Jolie, Nino Machaidze: It’s useless to be nervous

5 November 2011 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Nino Machaidze, the 28-year-old soprano from Georgia, graduate of Milan's Teatro alla Scala Academia, is in Los Angeles with Romeo and Juliet which is boomeranging her around the world's opera houses … [Read more...] about The opera world’s Angelina Jolie, Nino Machaidze: It’s useless to be nervous

Madonna considers becoming Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s new neighbour in Verona

27 September 2011 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Madonna is eyeing a house in the northern Italian city of Verona, local sources said Tuesday. "I confirm the American pop star's interest but I cannot add anything else," said Milan realtor … [Read more...] about Madonna considers becoming Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s new neighbour in Verona

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NEWS

Royal Academy of Dance acquires Dancing Times photographic archive

[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

FEATURED POSTS

Thomas Hampson by Jiyang Chen

Thomas Hampson answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Singers’ Edition

Francesco Gabriele Frola. Photo By Karolina Kuras, 2016 01

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Renata Scotto vs Maria Callas – the 1970 fight at La Scala

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António Casalinho – Introducing the 17-year-old Portuguese Dancer

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In conversation with Marianela Nuñez

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Introducing 19-year-old Canadian dancer Shale Wagman: from Lausanne to ENB to the Mariinsky

Romeo and Juliet with Sergei Polunin

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

In and Out: Bolle, Gomes, Stiefel – how easy is it to be an openly gay ballet dancer?

franco fagioli © thibault stipal, 2014

Franco Fagioli answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Singers’ Edition

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.

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