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- dance, opera, photography...

Xander Parish

Review: Ballet Under the Stars – 15 years of dance at Hatch House

6 August 2024 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Kateryna Chebykina and Xander Parish. Scheherazade. Ballet Under the Stars, 2024. Photo Alice Pennefather.

Graham Watts sees Ballet Under the Stars at Hatch House with "outstanding mix of established and emerging talent". TitleBallet Under the StarsCompanyThe Covent Garden Dance CompanyVenueHatch House, … [Read more...] about Review: Ballet Under the Stars – 15 years of dance at Hatch House

Prix de Lausanne 2023 – the full lineup

19 January 2023 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Prix de Lausanne 2020-01

The Lifetime Achievement Award 2023 will be given to Carlos Acosta CBE, a Prix de Lausanne Prize Winner in 1990 and current Director of the Birmingham Royal Ballet. The Prix de Lausanne 2023 50th … [Read more...] about Prix de Lausanne 2023 – the full lineup

[Review] Nureyev Legend and Legacy – a programme full of ‘wow wee’ moments

7 September 2022 by Matthew Paluch 8 Comments

Natalia Osipova in Laurencia Nureyev Legend and Legacy, photo by Andrej Uspenski

Welcome to this new collaboration between Gramilano and me, Matthew Paluch, to be known affectionately as London Calling. I'm honoured to share reviews and discussions here focusing on the London … [Read more...] about [Review] Nureyev Legend and Legacy – a programme full of ‘wow wee’ moments

Rudolf Nureyev Legend and Legacy – a starry celebration in London

18 August 2022 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Merle Park and Rudolf Nureyev in rehearsal for Flower Festival in Genzano, photo by Francette Levieux

Rudolf Nureyev’s life and career will be celebrated in London with five performances at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, which is where Nureyev made his London debut. Former Royal Ballet principal … [Read more...] about Rudolf Nureyev Legend and Legacy – a starry celebration in London

Principal dancers leave the Mariinsky and Bolshoi companies

7 March 2022 by Gramilano 8 Comments

Tissi-Parish

Principal dancer Jacopo Tissi has decided to leave the Bolshoi ballet company and principal Xander Parish the Mariinsky because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. They are both exceptional as there … [Read more...] about Principal dancers leave the Mariinsky and Bolshoi companies

UK’s National Dance Awards announced

28 June 2021 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

The Cellist. Marcelino Sambe and Lauren Cuthbertson. ©ROH, 2020. Photographed by Bill Cooper. (6)

This year’s National Dance Awards were announced yesterday at a streamed event from Cervantes Theatre in London. The NDA Chair, Graham Watts, paid tribute to Liam Scarlett who was nominated six … [Read more...] about UK’s National Dance Awards announced

World Ballet Festival, Denmark, announces 2021 programme

14 April 2021 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Lauren Cuthbertson and Marian Walter, Verdensballetten 2018

Xander Parish, Lauren Cuthbertson, Marcelino Sambé, Federico Bonelli, Yasmine Naghdi, Marian Walter and Ida Praetorius will dance at this year's festival. For 13 years running, The World Ballet … [Read more...] about World Ballet Festival, Denmark, announces 2021 programme

The Mariinsky Theatre opens its door to opera and ballet performances

11 July 2020 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Mariinsky

After last night’s socially distanced concert by Denis Matsuev at the Mariinsky Theatre – which was streamed live on the theatre’s YouTube channel – the mini-season for the Stars of the White … [Read more...] about The Mariinsky Theatre opens its door to opera and ballet performances

Exciting celebration of Rudolf Nureyev’s life with world ballet stars at Spoleto, tonight 28 July

28 July 2018 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Xander Parish As Armand, Photo By N Razina 01

2018 marks 80 years since Rudolf Nureyev was born and 25 since he died. La Scala in Milan have marked the occasion with a series of Gala celebrations and performances of his Don Quixote, Manuel Legris … [Read more...] about Exciting celebration of Rudolf Nureyev’s life with world ballet stars at Spoleto, tonight 28 July

Prix de Lausanne Prize Winners 2018 and photos

3 February 2018 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Hanna PARK, photo by Gregory Batardon

A large audience attended the Prix de Lausanne Finals today, both at the Théâtre de Beaulieu and online. 8 young dancers were awarded a scholarship allowing them to enter one of the 72 partner … [Read more...] about Prix de Lausanne Prize Winners 2018 and photos

Saved by the corps! The Mariinsky under par for Swan Lake in Turin

19 December 2017 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Oxana Skorik in Swan Lake by Natasha Razina © State Academic Mariinsky Theatre

  The buzz of anticipation in the theatre wasn’t matched by the Mariinsky Ballet’s performance at Turin’s Teatro Regio. Maybe the company decided not to field its top players because it was … [Read more...] about Saved by the corps! The Mariinsky under par for Swan Lake in Turin

Interview with Joseph Caley, English National Ballet’s new Principal Dancer

22 October 2017 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Tamara Rojo, Jeffrey Cirio and Jospeph Caley in Song of the Earth © Laurent Liotardo (4)

After more than a decade with Birmingham Royal Ballet, Principal Dancer Joseph Caley has packed his bags and headed south to join Tamara Rojo and English National Ballet. In July, when his move was … [Read more...] about Interview with Joseph Caley, English National Ballet’s new Principal Dancer

Xander Parish becomes a Principal Dancer with the Mariinsky Ballet

28 July 2017 by Gramilano 4 Comments

Xander Parish   photo by Katya Kravtsova cropped

Last night, on the stage of The Royal Opera House which he left eight years ago, Xander Parish was promoted to Principal Dancer of the Mariinsky Theatre. The Mariinsky are in London for a three week … [Read more...] about Xander Parish becomes a Principal Dancer with the Mariinsky Ballet

Bolshoi Ballet’s Italian dancer, Jacopo Tissi, on his first year in Moscow and dancing Diamonds at the Lincoln Center

12 July 2017 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Jacopo Tissi in Le spectre de la rose, photo by Alexander Yakovlev

Last August, young ballet dancer Jacopo Tissi, resigned from the La Scala Ballet to accept the offer a contract with the Bolshoi Company. As I wrote last September, it’s not something that happens … [Read more...] about Bolshoi Ballet’s Italian dancer, Jacopo Tissi, on his first year in Moscow and dancing Diamonds at the Lincoln Center

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

La Scala dancer Jacopo Tissi joins the Bolshoi

13 September 2016 by Gramilano 14 Comments

Jacopo Tissi, the young Italian dancer who is starting to make waves, has been offered a contract with the Bolshoi Ballet Company. That’s not something that happens every day. The Moscow company, like … [Read more...] about La Scala dancer Jacopo Tissi joins the Bolshoi

Yasmine Naghdi – the birth of a ballerina

29 September 2015 by Gramilano 3 Comments

Yasmine Naghdi was born on 25 March 1992 in London. Everyone I meet says, 'Where are you from?', and I say, 'I’m from London', and they say, 'No, where are you really from?'. Well, she has an exotic … [Read more...] about Yasmine Naghdi – the birth of a ballerina

How to stage a ballet… Maina Gielgud explains

17 May 2015 by Gramilano 4 Comments

The indefatigable Maina Gielgud is a freelance stager, guest teacher and coach. In 1983, two years after leaving her successful and varied career as a dancer, she became Artistic Director of the … [Read more...] about How to stage a ballet… Maina Gielgud explains

Russian ballerina Maya Plisetskaya dies at 89

2 May 2015 by Gramilano 7 Comments

Maya Plisetskaya died of a heart attack today in Munich. She was 89. The director of the Bolshoi Ballet, Vladimir Urin, said, She died of a severe heart attack. The doctors tried everything, but … [Read more...] about Russian ballerina Maya Plisetskaya dies at 89

Nominees of Benois de la Danse 2015

21 April 2015 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

CHOREOGRAPHERS: ALEXANDER EKMAN - A Swan Lake, Mikael Karlsson. The Norwegian National Ballet. JEAN-CHRISTOPHE MAILLOT - The Taming of the Shrew, Dmitry Shostakovich. Bolshoi Ballet. DWIGHT RHODEN … [Read more...] about Nominees of Benois de la Danse 2015

Nominees announced for the 15th National Dance Awards

3 November 2014 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

The Dance Section of the Critics’ Circle has announced the nominations for the 15th National Dance Awards. The Critics' Circle is composed of five sections: Music, Theatre, Film, Dance and Visual … [Read more...] about Nominees announced for the 15th National Dance Awards

Pos­it­ano Premia la Danza Léonide Massine winners 2014

7 September 2014 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Last night the threatening weather held off, and the gala and award ceremony for the Pos­it­ano Premia la Danza Léonide Massine on the main beach at Positano went ahead as planned. The exquisite … [Read more...] about Pos­it­ano Premia la Danza Léonide Massine winners 2014

Introducing… Brandon Lawrence, Birmingham Royal Ballet

23 August 2014 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Q&A When did you start dancing? I started dancing at 8 years old and then I joined the Royal Ballet School full time at 14 Why did you start dancing? I’m not sure why… I was probably … [Read more...] about Introducing… Brandon Lawrence, Birmingham Royal Ballet

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Gramilano newsletter 2019

INTERVIEWS

Francesco Gabriele Frola. Photo By Karolina Kuras, 2016 01

Meet Francesco Gabriele Frola — National Ballet of Canada and English National Ballet’s new Principal Dancer

Fumi Kaneko and Vadim Muntagirov rehearse Mayerling. Photo by Dancers Diary ROH 1

[Interview] Royal Ballet’s Fumi Kaneko on her upcoming debut in Mayerling

Maria Callas at La Scala, Il turco in Italia with Franco Zeffirelli 1955

Franco Zeffirelli, at 96, on Anna Magnani and Maria Callas, his career, and old age

Yasmine Naghdi in rehearsal for Tarantella, The Royal Ballet © 2017 ROH. Photograph by Bill Cooper

[Interview] The Royal Ballet’s Yasmine Naghdi: a time to reflect

Sergei Polunin, Romeo and Juliet, Verona 2019

Interview with Sergei Polunin – Verona’s new Romeo

Jacopo Tissi in Swan Lake crop

Interview: Who is Jacopo Tissi? The Bolshoi’s enigmatic Italian star talks about Moscow, Milan and London, “It certainly wasn’t easy”

Roberto Bolle in Waves by Massimiliano Volpini, photo by Andrej Uspenski (4)

Roberto Bolle interview: Who I am now

Carmen Giannattasio In The War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, Photo By Cory Weaver

Interview: Carmen Giannattasio on her first Tosca, Lady Gaga, and homicide

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GRAMILANO

Graham Spicer, aka 'Gramilano', is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. 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, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Carla Fracci.

Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.

He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.

Since 2022, Gramilano has been pleased to welcome guest authors: Paul Arrowsmith, Donatella Bertozzi, Georgina Butler, Kathrina Farrugia-Kriel, Jonathan Gray, Marina Harss, Ann Haskins, Lily Hyde, Marta Mele, Matthew Paluch, Jann Parry, Lucía Piquero, Graham Watts, Deborah Weiss, and Lydia Wharf.

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