Alessandra Ferri News

London is never short of theatre temptations, whether splashy West End shows, epic dramas or bold fringe offerings. From a visionary Tennessee Williams revival to Wayne McGregor and a Dahl musical adaptation, here are some of this month's most eye-catching openings. Don't forget to check back for BroadwayWorld's reviews...

American Ballet Theatre's 2017 Spring season at the Metropolitan Opera House, May 15-July 8, will feature the New York Premiere of Alexei Ratmansky's Whipped Cream and the Company Premiere of Ratmansky's Souvenir d'un lieu cher, it was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.  

Founded in 2004, New York City Center's annual 'Fall for Dance' festival is an inspired idea that continues to fulfill the admirable mission of introducing new and younger audiences to the world of dance. Tickets are a mere $15, a price that's within the reach of millennials yet that coincidentally also tempts NYC's older dancegoers to venture out for performances of less than traditional dance fare. Over the years, the offerings have become an increasingly diverse and international roster of works created by innovative choreographers and performed by first-rate dancers.

Arlene Shuler, New York City Center President & CEO, today announced the line-up for the 2016 Fall for Dance Festival. The 13th edition of the annual festival will feature a more international slate than ever before with 20 acclaimed dance companies and artists from across the country and around the world beginning September 26 through October 8. In keeping with City Center's commitment to make the best in the performing arts accessible to the widest possible audience, all tickets are $15. Tickets go on sale Saturday, September 10 at 11am.

Instead of the usual gala fare -- bits of firecracker variations and pieces of ballet classics -- Sergei Danilian's 'Ardani 25 Dance Gala' at New York City Center, August 19 and 20, is classic Danilian. The intrepid impresario, who has never side-stepped risk, will celebrate Ardani Artists's quarter century of producing in the United States and abroad with a trio of U.S. premieres, two by young, unknown, but up-and-coming Russian choreographers, and one by American Ballet Theatre principal Marcelo Gomes.

Though it was hot and muggy on the evening of July 24th, 2016, the jam-packed audience at Manhattan Movement & Arts Center was grinning agog like newly minted parents infatuated with their brood. The cause: a troupe of adorable bambine from Staten Island Ballet performing Ellen Tharp's 'Tarantella'. Though only one of these girls was delivering the movement nel modo Italiano, they were all so lively with their tambourine strikes and hops that even the most curmudgeonly of audience members applauded with gusto.

Antonio Fini, dancer/choreographer/producer presents the third annual Fini Dance Festival, featuring guest companies from Milan and Naples, appearing with U.S.-based companies with an 'Italian connection.'

Lines of light illuminate the pathway of a woman in flight. Her focus is razor sharp as she surveys men soaring around her in configurations that fluctuate between the flight patterns of birds and planes. Eventually these men hoist and entangle her in a never-ending series of lifts that keep her suspended as she writes on the air with her body. Skillfully made 'dancing for the sake of dancing' is a special treat to drink in especially when it stars a captivating wellspring of power like Alexandra Berger. For Dušan Týnek Dance Theatre's July 7th opening night concert at New York Live Arts, the radiance that Ms. Berger beamed in this opening piece proved hypnotic.

Halfway through the bedroom scene (Act III, Scene I) I thought to myself, 'They're playing the music too quickly!' I was wrong. The tempo was fine; it simply felt faster than normal because the dancing was so wonderful. It's to be expected. Alessandra Ferri was guest starring in American Ballet Theatre's production of Kenneth MacMillan's 'Romeo and Juliet' nine years after she'd retired from the company in the same role.

Alessandra Ferri, a former Principal Dancer with American Ballet Theatre, will return as a Guest Artist to dance the role of Juliet in the Company's production of ROMEO AND JULIET at the Metropolitan Opera House, it was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

Antonio Fini, dancer/choreographer/producer is proud to present the third annual Fini Dance Festival, featuring guest companies from Milan, Naples, and Modena Italy, appearing with U.S.-based companies with an 'Italian connection.'    Hostess for the evening will again be the glamorous Tabata Caldironi, noted dancer and TV personality in her home of Milan.   One performance only, Sunday July 24th, 7:30 PM, at MMAC, 248 West 60th Street, NYC.

Casting for the seventh and eighth weeks of American Ballet Theatre's 2016 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

On the evening of May 16th 2016 at the Metropolitan Opera House in Lincoln Center, the beloved troupe that was recognized as 'America's National Ballet Company' in 2006 by the United States Congress proved once again that the American Ballet Theatre is indeed a treasure. Dancegoers in dazzling formal attire were treated to a Spring Gala that eschewed traditional staples and showcased instead an appetite-whetting smorgasbord of excerpts from the spring season as well as a world premiere and the one-act Firebird.

Casting for the first two weeks of American Ballet Theatre's 2016 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

American Ballet Theatre (ABT) Studio Company opened their three-day performance schedule on the evening of April 15, 2016, at The Joyce Theater. The troupe offered a  program of five balletic acts that included one world premiere and two New York City premieres. With a full house, numerous supporters of the ABT attended. I recognized a few corps de ballet members of the company, principal dancer of ABT Gillian Murphy, and the extraordinary ballerina Alessandra Ferri in the audience. It was a lovely gesture for them and for many other guests to see the upcoming dancers who could someday be part of the ABT main company.

The winners of the Olivier Awards 2016 with MasterCard, the most prestigious event in the UK theatrical calendar, were announced tonight (Sunday 3 April 2016) at the star-studded ceremony held at London's Royal Opera House.

Check out some of the winners from the 2016 Olivier Awards - including Denise Gough, Kenneth Cranham and more!

Here's a full list of Olivier Award nominees and winners - we updated this story LIVE throughout the ceremony. Winners are indicated in bold type. Who were you cheering for?

It's our Olivier Awards liveblog! We updated the coverage all through Sunday, with reports live from the red carpet, plus tweets and pictures. Miss any of it? Catch up right here...

American Ballet Theatre's 2016 Spring season will be highlighted by a World Premiere work by Alexei Ratmansky, the American Premiere of Ratmansky's The Golden Cockerel and a revival of Frederick Ashton's La Fille mal gardee. Tickets for ABT's Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House go on sale at the box office on Sunday, March 20 at 12 Noon.