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Interview: Katia Ricciarelli celebrates her 80th birthday, still in love with Carreras
Yesterday, soprano Katia Ricciarelli celebrated her 80th birthday – she talks about her life, and the men in her life.
New Posts
Review: Royal Ballet’s Woolf Works – Seamless Sensations of Embodied Memory
Lucía Piquero sees the Royal Ballet in Wayne McGregor’s Woolf Works – a work resonating with the need to question what and how dance does.
La Scala closed 2025 with record ticket sales of over €40 million
La Scala closed 2025 with record ticket sales, up +7.3% compared to 2024. La Scala Theatre Museum sales grew by 14%.
Northern Ballet premiere of new ballet Gentleman Jack – the extraordinary story of Anne Lister
In March 2026, Northern Ballet will unveil the world premiere of its new full‑length production, Gentleman Jack, launching a nationwide tour.
Patricio Revé joins The Royal Ballet as Principal dancer
Director of The Royal Ballet, Kevin O’Hare, today announced that Patricio Revé will join the Company as a Principal dancer from the start of the 2026/27 Season.
The Washington National Opera pulls out of the Kennedy Center
The Washington National Opera said it will move out of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, ending a partnership that began in 1971.
Pressure mounts for San Francisco Ballet to cancel Trump Kennedy Center appearance
Pressure mounts on San Francisco Ballet to rethink its Washington performances as criticism swirls around President Trump’s takeover of the Kennedy Center.
Navrin Turnbull is appointed Principal Dancer at Teatro alla Scala
After last night’s performance of Sleeping Beauty at La Scala, soloist Navrin Turnbull was promoted to the role of Principal Dancer in the company.
Svetlana Zakharova’s shows in Florence are cancelled
Teatro del Maggio Musicale in Florence has cancelled Pas de deux for toes and fingers with Svetlana Zakharova and her violinist husband Vadim Repin.
New York City Ballet’s 2026 Winter Season features the company’s 499th and 500th original works
New York City Ballet’s 2026 Winter Season runs from 20 January for six weeks at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center.
The Rossini Opera Festival 2026 is announced
The 47th edition of the Rossini Opera Festival will be held in Pesaro from 11 to 23 August 2026.
Renato Zanella is the new director of the Ballet of the San Carlo Theatre in Naples
Renato Zanella, the Italian ballet dancer, choreographer and director, succeeds Clotilde Vayer as director of the Ballet of the San Carlo Theatre in Naples.
Las Estrellas, the Flamenco of the Future – Sergio Bernal and Spanish friends in Rome
Las Estrellas – on 3 and 4 January in Rome – sees Sergio Bernal dance the rarely seen version of Ravel’s Boléro with choreography by Rafael Aguilar,
Review: Ballet Nights – The New Year’s Day Concert with dancers, musicians and opera singers “of an incredible standard”
Lily Hyde sees Ballet Nights’ New Year’s Day Concert and finds some very strange artistic choices, though enjoys several dazzling performances.
In Memoriam 2025: artists who died this year… Singers, Dancers, Actors, Musicians, Writers, Directors
In memoriam 2025: a personal list remembering some of the artists who died in 2025.
The best dozen dance shows of 2025 – a legacy of memories from Graham Watts’ year in dance
Dance writer Graham Watts looks back at a year of dance and chooses 12 performances from the 157 he saw during 2025.
La Scala’s Federico Fresi returns in Sleeping Beauty after a two-year battle with cancer
La Scala Ballet Soloist Federico Fresi returned to dance on the opening night of the ballet season after a two‑year battle with a rare tumour.
Review: Liudmila Konovalova guests in New English Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker
Graham Watts sees Valentino Zucchetti’s The Nutcracker with “the stellar presence” of guest artist Liudmila Konovalova.
Review: The Royal Ballet’s Nutcracker – the most elaborate and grandiose of all UK stagings – with Sasaki, Rovero, Zambon, Junker, and Hay
Jonathan Gray finds much to enjoy in Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker with an impressive young cast.
Review: Luca Silvestrini’s The Magic Flute – unusual and magical dance theatre
Graham Watts sees The Magic Flute by Luca Silvestrini’s Protein company – a small-scale, yet spectacular, pre-Christmas children’s show.
Interview: The Royal Ballet’s Mariko Sasaki and Giacomo Rovero on preparing for the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Prince
I talked to Mariko Sasaki and Giacomo Rovero about preparing to dance The Sugar Plum Fairy and The Prince in The Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker.
Review: Béjart Ballet with new works by Riva&Repele and Andonis Foniadakis – big, bold visions
Lydia Wharf sees Béjart Ballet Lausanne dance works by Riva&Repele, Andonis Foniadakis and Maurice Béjart and finds “a company looking forward with confidence”.
Review: Valentino Zucchetti’s The Nutcracker for New English Ballet Theatre
Lily Hyde sees Valentino Zucchetti’s production of The Nutcracker for New English Ballet Theatre – it’s a show with heart.
Review: Contrasts – Paris Opera Ballet perform works by Trisha Brown, David Dawson, and Imre and Marne van Opstal
Matthew Paluch sees the Paris Opera Ballet in Contrasts – a dialogue of styles and executions that makes for a heady night.
Royal Ballet and Opera Summer Season with Marianela Nuñez and Carlos Acosta
Marianela Nuñez and Carlos Acosta take centre stage at the Royal Opera House this summer with two individually curated programmes from 29 July until 9 August.
Choreographer Hans van Manen has died at 93
Hans van Manen died yesterday, 17 December 2025, at the age of 93. He created more than 150 works during a 65-year career.
Giorgio Armani at La Scala exhibition opens and the opening of La Scala’s 2025/2026 Ballet Season is dedicated to the designer
La Scala dedicates the opening of its ballet season to Giorgio Armani, and an exhibition of photos titled ‘Giorgio Armani at La Scala’ will be on display.
