Nicolas Le Riche will direct the Royal Swedish Ballet beginning autumn 2017. He has signed a five-year contract with the Royal Swedish Opera and will arrive in Stockholm mid-August.Birgitta Svendén, CEO of the Royal Swedish Opera, said, I am very proud to present Nicolas Le Riche as the new ballet director for the Royal Swedish Opera. He has the right qualities and … [Read more...] about Nicolas Le Riche appointed head of the Royal Swedish Ballet
William Forsythe
Zenaida Yanowsky’s final curtain call
After 23 years with The Royal Ballet, last night Zenaida Yanowsky gave her final curtain call on the Covent Garden stage.Her final performance at the Royal Opera House was in Marguerite and Armand where she danced alongside Roberto Bolle. Her last performance with the Company, however, will be in Australia in July, performing Paulina in The Winter’s Tale at the Queensland … [Read more...] about Zenaida Yanowsky’s final curtain call
Casey Herd answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Dancers’ Edition
Q&A When did you start dancing? I started at the age of 10.Why did you start dancing? At first it was because my mom talked me into it.Which dancer inspired you most as a child? Baryshnikov.Which dancer do you most admire? Now there are so many so it’s difficult to choose one out above the rest.What’s your favourite role? I don’t really have one role … [Read more...] about Casey Herd answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Dancers’ Edition
Photo album: Opening night at The Royal Ballet includes premiere of Liam Scarlett’s Symphonic Dances
The latest mixed-programme from The Royal Ballet was unveiled last night and will run until the end of this month. "Virtuoso dance from The Royal Ballet in a programme that includes Forsythe and Balanchine classics and Wheeldon’s 2016 narrative ballet" also saw the world premiere of Liam Scarlett's new creation for the Company, Symphonic Dances. The Vertiginous Thrill of … [Read more...] about Photo album: Opening night at The Royal Ballet includes premiere of Liam Scarlett’s Symphonic Dances
Tamara Rojo on Pina Bausch whose “work transcends description… speaking to your spirit”
English National Ballet's exciting Bausch / Forsythe / van Manen programme arrives at Sadler’s Wells in March. Pina Bausch’s masterpiece The Rite of Spring must be the highlight of the evening, though Hans van Manen's Adagio Hammerklavier and William Forsythe’s In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated certainly won't disappoint.With the performances of The Rite of Spring, ENB will … [Read more...] about Tamara Rojo on Pina Bausch whose “work transcends description… speaking to your spirit”
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 Ballett in 2006 and now they are about to invade the Palais Garnier and perform it on the stage it was created for; the first guest company to do so.The Semperoper Ballett will … [Read more...] about István Simon on the Semperoper Ballett dancing William Forsythe at the Palais Garnier, Paris
Francesco Ventriglia to leave Royal New Zealand Ballet
in italianoFrancesco Ventriglia, Artistic Director of the Royal New Zealand Ballet, has decided to step down in 2017 after almost three years with the company. He took up his appointment as the company's 11th Artistic Director in November 2014.His contract will end in mid-June, though he will remain with the company as Guest Choreographer to complete the creation of his … [Read more...] about Francesco Ventriglia to leave Royal New Zealand Ballet
Old and new in English National Ballet’s 2016-2017 Season, Spring/Summer
The English National Ballet’s Spring/Summer 2017 season sees a refreshing nod to the company’s past with a revival of Rudolf Nureyev’s Romeo & Juliet during August of 2017 when the company makes a return to The Royal Festival Hall, its old hunting ground that it hasn’t revisited since 2008. Tamara Rojo has shown with her recent programming that she is investing in the … [Read more...] about Old and new in English National Ballet’s 2016-2017 Season, Spring/Summer
Choreographer Petr Zuska and the Czech National Ballet
The Czech National Ballet is one of the oldest ballet companies in the world. It was founded in 1883 to provide dances for the opera and it also put on the classics of the time introducing creations for the Ballets Russes as it entered the 1920s. However, from the ‘30s on it slowly started leaning towards a more modern repertoire often created by Czech composers and … [Read more...] about Choreographer Petr Zuska and the Czech National Ballet
Ballet’s biggest names come to Milan for 4 days of dance
Milan is not like London or New York… there’s not a lot of dance going on. The resident company at La Scala will be performing six titles during the coming season. That’s S-I-X. And there will not be thirty Nutcrackers around Christmas either, there’ll be 12 Cinderellas; usually there are just nine performances of each title. So imagine everyone’s surprise when La Scala … [Read more...] about Ballet’s biggest names come to Milan for 4 days of dance