Viviana Durante: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Italian ballet dancer}} |
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{{Infobox person |
{{Infobox person |
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| name = Viviana Durante |
| name = Viviana Durante |
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| image = Durante_00.png |
| image = Durante_00.png |
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| alt = |
| alt = |
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| caption = Viviana Durante as Aurora in Sleeping Beauty (1994) |
| caption = Viviana Durante as Aurora in ''Sleeping Beauty'' (1994) |
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| birth_name = |
| birth_name = |
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1967|5|8|df=y}} |
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1967|5|8|df=y}} |
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| death_date = |
| death_date = |
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| death_place = |
| death_place = |
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| residence = London, England |
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| nationality = Italian |
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| other_names = |
| other_names = |
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| occupation = Ballet dancer |
| occupation = Ballet dancer |
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| employer = |
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| height = {{convert|1.57|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |
| height = {{convert|1.57|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |
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| awards = Prix de Lausanne <br> Evening Standard Ballet Award <br> Laurence Olivier Award |
| awards = Prix de Lausanne <br> Evening Standard Ballet Award <br> Laurence Olivier Award |
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| website = [http://www.viviana-durante.com Official website] |
| website = [http://www.viviana-durante.com Official website] |
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| years active= |
| years active= 1984–2020 |
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| spouse = {{marriage|[[Nigel Cliff]]|2009}} |
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Nigel Cliff]]|2009}} |
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| children = 1 |
| children = 1 |
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}} |
}} |
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'''Viviana Durante''' (born 8 May 1967) is an |
'''Viviana Durante''' (born 8 May 1967) is an Italian [[ballet dancer]], considered one of the great dramatic ballerinas of recent times.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Rogai|first1=Natasha|title=The Importance of Emotion|journal=Dance Journal/HK|date=October–November 2016|volume=18|issue=5|page=16}}</ref> She was a principal dancer of [[The Royal Ballet]], [[American Ballet Theatre]], [[Teatro alla Scala]] and [[K-Ballet]]. She is the artistic director of [[English National Ballet School]] and of the Viviana Durante Company.<ref>{{cite web |title=Viviana Durante Becomes Artistic Director of English National Ballet School |url=http://www.enbschool.org.uk/news.php?ref=viviana-durante-becomes-artistic-director-of-english-national-ballet-school |website=English National Ballet School |access-date=17 November 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Craine |first1=Debra |title=Viviana Durante: How Isadora Duncan drew me back to the stage |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/viviana-durante-interview-how-isadora-duncan-drew-me-back-to-the-stage-h82gswkvx |website=The Times |access-date=31 December 2019}}</ref> |
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==Early career== |
==Early career== |
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Durante was born in Rome and started ballet there at the [[Teatro dell'Opera di Roma]] aged six. Spotted by ballerina [[Galina Samsova]], she joined the lower school of the [[Royal Ballet School]] at White Lodge in [[Richmond Park, London]]. A year later she featured in a [[Thames Television]] documentary entitled ''I really want to dance''. Shortly after graduating to the upper school, aged 17, she joined the Royal Ballet Company. Two years later she attracted national attention when she took over as Odette/Odile in mid-performance, never having been taught the role.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.enbschool.org.uk/staff.php | |
Durante was born in Rome and started ballet there at the [[Teatro dell'Opera di Roma]] aged six. Spotted by ballerina [[Galina Samsova]], she joined the lower school of the [[Royal Ballet School]] at White Lodge in [[Richmond Park, London]]. A year later, she featured in a [[Thames Television]] documentary entitled ''I really want to dance''. Shortly after graduating to the upper school, aged 17, she joined the Royal Ballet Company. Two years later, she attracted national attention when she took over as Odette/Odile in mid-performance, never having been taught the role.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.enbschool.org.uk/staff.php |title=English National Ballet School - Staff |publisher=[[English National Ballet School]] |access-date=25 June 2020}}</ref> At 21, she became the company's youngest principal dancer, and a year later, in 1990, she became the youngest artist to receive the Evening Standard Ballet Award. |
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==Royal Ballet |
==Royal Ballet== |
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At the Royal Ballet, Durante danced all the main roles in ballets by Sir [[Kenneth MacMillan]] (''[[Manon]]'', ''[[Romeo and Juliet (ballet)|Romeo and Juliet]]'', ''[[Mayerling]]'', ''Different Drummer'', ''My Brother, My Sisters'', ''Requiem'', ''Elite Syncopations'', ''Gloria'', ''[[The Prince of the Pagodas]]'' and ''Anastasia'', for which she was nominated for a [[Laurence Olivier Award]]),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/olivier_awards/ |title=Olivier Awards with MasterCard – Official Site |website=Officiallondontheatre.co.uk |date= |
At the Royal Ballet, Durante danced all the main roles in ballets by Sir [[Kenneth MacMillan]] (''[[Manon]]'', ''[[Romeo and Juliet (ballet)|Romeo and Juliet]]'', ''[[Mayerling (ballet)|Mayerling]]'', ''Different Drummer'', ''My Brother, My Sisters'', ''Requiem'', ''Elite Syncopations'', ''Gloria'', ''[[The Prince of the Pagodas]]'' and ''Anastasia'', for which she was nominated for a [[Laurence Olivier Award]]),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/olivier_awards/ |title=Olivier Awards with MasterCard – Official Site |website=Officiallondontheatre.co.uk |access-date=25 November 2016}}</ref> Sir [[Frederick Ashton]] (''[[Cinderella (Ashton)|Cinderella]]'', ''[[La fille mal gardée (Ashton)|La fille mal gardée]]'', ''Rhapsody'', ''[[Ondine (ballet)|Ondine]]'', ''[[A Month in the Country (ballet)|A Month in the Country]]'', ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream (ballet)|A Midsummer Night's Dream]]'', ''Symphonic Variations'', ''[[Les Patineurs (ballet)|Les Patineurs]]'', ''[[Birthday Offering]]'', ''[[Scènes de ballet (Ashton)|Scènes de ballet]]'', ''Thaïs pas de deux'') and from the classical repertory (''[[Swan Lake]]'', ''[[The Nutcracker]]'', ''[[Giselle]]'', ''[[The Sleeping Beauty (ballet)|The Sleeping Beauty]]'', ''[[La Bayadere]]'', ''[[Don Quixote (ballet)|Don Quixote]]'', ''[[Les Biches]]'', ''[[Raymonda]]'', ''[[Diana and Actaeon]]'', ''Sylvia pas de deux''). |
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She created roles in many new works including MacMillan's ''[[The Judas Tree (ballet)|The Judas Tree]]'' and ''[[Winter Dreams]]'' (based on [[Anton Chekhov]] |
She created roles in many new works including MacMillan's ''[[The Judas Tree (ballet)|The Judas Tree]]'' and ''[[Winter Dreams (ballet)|Winter Dreams]]'' (based on [[Anton Chekhov]]'s ''[[Three Sisters (play)|Three Sisters]]''); [[Wayne McGregor]]'s ''Fleur de Peux''; [[Ashley Page]]'s ''Pursuit'', ''Piano'', ''Bloodlines'', ''...now languorous, now wild...'' and ''Cheating, Lying, Stealing''; Will Tuckett's ''Present Histories''; [[David Bintley]]'s ''Tombeaux''; and [[Amedeo Amodio]]'s ''[[Cabiria]]''. |
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In 1992 Durante and her fellow principal [[Darcey Bussell]] were the joint subjects of a ''[[South Bank Show]]'' documentary ''Two Ballerinas at the Royal Ballet'' (UK: ''Two Royal Ballet Dancers''), and the following year both were invited by the [[New York City Ballet]] for the Balanchine Celebration at the [[New York State Theater]]. |
In 1992, Durante and her fellow principal [[Darcey Bussell]] were the joint subjects of a ''[[South Bank Show]]'' documentary ''Two Ballerinas at the Royal Ballet'' (UK: ''Two Royal Ballet Dancers''), and the following year both were invited by the [[New York City Ballet]] for the Balanchine Celebration at the [[New York State Theater]]. |
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In 1995, she appeared in the title role of a ninety-minute version of [[Tchaikovsky]]'s ''[[The Sleeping Beauty (ballet)|The Sleeping Beauty]]'', which was telecast on [[Great Performances]] by [[PBS]] during the Christmas season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0323993/|title=Great Performances (1971– ) : The Sleeping Beauty |website=IMDb.com| |
In 1995, she appeared in the title role of a ninety-minute version of [[Tchaikovsky]]'s ''[[The Sleeping Beauty (ballet)|The Sleeping Beauty]]'', which was telecast on [[Great Performances]] by [[PBS]] during the Christmas season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0323993/|title=Great Performances (1971– ) : The Sleeping Beauty |website=IMDb.com|access-date=25 November 2016}}</ref> In 1998, Durante made a return to the Rome stage as a guest artist in Prokovsky's production of the Tchaikovsky ballet, one of many international guest appearances. |
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Durante appeared on the cover of [[Cosmopolitan (magazine)|''Cosmopolitan'']] and ''Harpers and Queen'' magazines and was profiled in many publications including [[Vogue (British magazine)|''Vogue'']],<ref>British ''Vogue'', October 1991</ref> ''Elle,'' and [[Hello (British magazine)|''Hello'']]. She modelled for photographic shoots for [[Karl Lagerfeld]] and [[Valentino SpA|Valentino]] and for catwalk shows by [[Maison Gattinoni]], and featured in commercials for [[Toyota]]. |
Durante appeared on the cover of [[Cosmopolitan (magazine)|''Cosmopolitan'']] and ''Harpers and Queen'' magazines and was profiled in many publications including [[Vogue (British magazine)|''Vogue'']],<ref>British ''Vogue'', October 1991.</ref> ''Elle,'' and [[Hello (British magazine)|''Hello'']]. She modelled for photographic shoots for [[Karl Lagerfeld]] and [[Valentino SpA|Valentino]] and for catwalk shows by [[Maison Gattinoni]], and featured in commercials for [[Toyota]]. |
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In 1999, a disagreement between Durante and The Royal Ballet, reportedly following her request for a cast change after she was dropped by a partner, blew up into a national media storm.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/1999/apr/19/features11.g22 |title='I gave the Royal Ballet the best years of my life. And this is how they thank me' | Stage |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=1999 |
In 1999, a disagreement between Durante and The Royal Ballet, reportedly following her request for a cast change after she was dropped by a partner, blew up into a national media storm.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/1999/apr/19/features11.g22 |title='I gave the Royal Ballet the best years of my life. And this is how they thank me' | Stage |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=19 April 1999 |last=Hattenstone |first=Simon |access-date=25 June 2020}}</ref> After what the media called a 'dazzling 12-year career' as one of British ballet's major stars,<ref>{{cite news|last=Alexander |first=Stuart |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/stars-bring-grandeur-and-power-to-a-magical-revival-629751.html |title=Dalton's thrilling battle |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |access-date=25 November 2016}}{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Durante left the company in 2001 to pursue a freelance career.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4720288/Farewell-for-now-Viviana.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112085157/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4720288/Farewell-for-now-Viviana.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=12 November 2012 |title=Farewell for now, Viviana |last=Brown |first=Ismene |date=30 March 2000 |work=The Telegraph |access-date=25 June 2020 |url-access=limited}}</ref> |
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==Subsequent career== |
==Subsequent career== |
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Durante joined [[American Ballet Theatre]] as a principal dancer for the 1999 spring season at the [[Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center)|Metropolitan Opera House]], New York City. She subsequently appeared as a guest artist with major international ballet companies including [[La Scala Theatre Ballet|La Scala Milan]], [[Tokyo Ballet]] and [[Semperoper Ballett |
Durante joined [[American Ballet Theatre]] as a principal dancer for the 1999 spring season at the [[Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center)|Metropolitan Opera House]], New York City. She subsequently appeared as a guest artist with major international ballet companies including [[La Scala Theatre Ballet|La Scala Milan]], [[Tokyo Ballet]] and [[Dresden Semperoper Ballett]]. From 2003 to 2012, she was the leading ballerina of Japan's [[K-Ballet]], founded by fellow Royal Ballet alumnus [[Tetsuya Kumakawa]]. Continuing to perform the classics, she also took roles in ballets including Bintley's ''[[Cyrano de Bergerac (play)|Cyrano de Bergerac]]''; [[George Balanchine]]'s ''[[Apollo (ballet)|Apollo]]'', ''[[Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 (ballet)|Ballet Imperial]]'', ''Stravinsky Violin Concerto'', ''[[Who Cares? (ballet)|Who Cares?]]'' and ''[[Symphony in C (ballet)|Symphony in C]]''; [[Rudolf Nureyev]]'s ''[[Laurentia]]''; [[Glen Tetley|Tetley]]'s ''[[La Ronde (ballet)|La Ronde]]''; Uwe Scholz's ''The Red and the Black''; [[Roland Petit]]'s ''[[Coppélia|Coppelia]]'', ''[[Carmen (1949 ballet)|Carmen]]'' and ''Duke Ellington Ballet''; and [[André Prokovsky]]'s ''[[Anna Karenina]]''. |
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Durante is a patron of [[The Hammond School]] and New English Ballet Theatre. She is a regular juror at competitions including the [[Prix de Lausanne]] and the Beijing International Ballet Competition. In 2010 a work choreographed by Durante premiered at Dance Base, Edinburgh |
Durante is a patron of [[The Hammond School]] and New English Ballet Theatre. She is a regular juror at competitions including the [[Prix de Lausanne]] and the Beijing International Ballet Competition. In 2010, a work choreographed by Durante premiered at Dance Base, Edinburgh,<ref>{{cite web|author=Rebecca King |url=http://www.theskinny.co.uk/article/100244-elegantly_tearful |title=Elegantly Tearful |publisher=The Skinny |date=19 August 2010 |access-date=25 November 2016}}</ref> and the same year she collaborated with [[Richard Eyre]] on a dance adaptation of the film [[Truly, Madly, Deeply (film)|Truly, Madly, Deeply]].<ref>{{cite web|author=David Benedict |url=https://variety.com/2011/legit/news/directors-revived-u-k-stage-in-2011-1118047982/ |title=Directors revived U.K. stage in 2011 |work=Variety |date=30 December 2011 |access-date=25 November 2016}}</ref> |
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Durante holds diplomas in dance education from the Royal Ballet School and Trinity College, London.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Royal Ballet School celebrates Diploma of Dance Teaching 2014-16 Graduate success|url=http://www.royalballetschool.org.uk/2016/11/25/the-royal-ballet-school-celebrates-diploma-of-dance-teaching-2014-16-graduate-success/|website=Royal Ballet School| |
Durante holds diplomas in dance education from the Royal Ballet School and Trinity College, London.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Royal Ballet School celebrates Diploma of Dance Teaching 2014-16 Graduate success|url=http://www.royalballetschool.org.uk/2016/11/25/the-royal-ballet-school-celebrates-diploma-of-dance-teaching-2014-16-graduate-success/|website=Royal Ballet School|access-date=30 November 2016}}</ref> In 2016, she returned to The Royal Ballet as a regular guest coach.<ref>{{cite web|title=Viviana Durante|url=http://www.roh.org.uk/people/viviana-durante|website=Royal Opera House|access-date=30 November 2016}}</ref> In 2017, she founded Viviana Durante Company which debuted with Kenneth MacMillan: Steps Back in Time at the [[Barbican Centre]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2018/event/kenneth-macmillan-steps-back-in-time|title=Kenneth MacMillan: Steps Back in Time|publisher=[[Barbican Centre]]|access-date=25 June 2020}}</ref> In 2020 the company premiered Isadora Now at the same venue.<ref>{{cite web |title=Isadora Now: Triple Bill |url=https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2020/event/viviana-durante-company-isadora-now |website=Barbican |access-date=25 February 2020}}</ref> Durante was the consultant and wrote the foreword for the 2018 [[Dorling Kindersley|DK]] book Ballet: The Definitive Illustrated History.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ballet by DK|url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/366677/ballet-by-dk/9781465474780/|website=Penguin Random House|access-date=9 October 2018}}</ref> In 2019 she was appointed Director of Dance and in 2020 Artistic Director at [[English National Ballet School]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Staff |url=http://www.enbschool.org.uk/staff.php |website=English National Ballet School |access-date=25 February 2022}}</ref> |
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Viviana Durante Company which debuted with Kenneth MacMillan: Steps Back in Time at the [[Barbican Centre]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2018/event/kenneth-macmillan-steps-back-in-time}}</ref> Durante was the consultant and wrote the foreword for the 2018 [[Dorling Kindersley|DK]] book Ballet: The Definitive Illustrated History.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ballet by DK|url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/366677/ballet-by-dk/9781465474780/|website=Penguin Random House|accessdate=9 October 2018}}</ref> She was appointed Director of Dance at [[English National Ballet School]] in 2019. |
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==Critical |
==Critical reviews== |
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Critics noted Durante's combination of immaculate technique and acting ability, often describing her as a blend of Latin passion and British coolness.<ref>{{cite news|author=David Lister |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/does-a-prima-ballerina-bounce-1086731.html |title=Does a prima ballerina bounce? |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |date= |
Critics noted Durante's combination of immaculate technique and acting ability, often describing her as a blend of Latin passion and British coolness.<ref>{{cite news|author=David Lister |date=12 April 1999 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/does-a-prima-ballerina-bounce-1086731.html |title=Does a prima ballerina bounce? |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |access-date=25 June 2020}}</ref> Her ''Anastasia'' was widely appreciated, her ''Manon'' (with Russian dancer Irek Mukhamedov as Des Grieux, in particular) has been called the definitive interpretation, and the recording of her performance in ''The Sleeping Beauty'' has been perhaps most influential. Critics called her 'the most dramatic of dancers',<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ballet.co.uk/links/dancers_rb_principals_99.htm |title=Ballet.co RB Principals |access-date=6 March 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020306224524/http://www.ballet.co.uk/links/dancers_rb_principals_99.htm |archive-date=6 March 2002 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and an 'unsurpassable actress' (''The Independent'').<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.viviana-durante.com/press/ |title=Press |website=Viviana-durante.com |date=20 June 2014 |access-date=25 November 2016}}</ref> |
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==Personal life== |
==Personal life== |
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Durante married the British author and journalist [[Nigel Cliff]] in June 2009.<ref name="The Times">{{cite news |title=Birthdays: Viviana Durante |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/birthdays-viviana-durante-zgbvnfbrs5t | |
Durante married the British author and journalist [[Nigel Cliff]] in June 2009.<ref name="The Times">{{cite news |title=Birthdays: Viviana Durante |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/birthdays-viviana-durante-zgbvnfbrs5t |access-date=25 June 2020 |work=The Times |date=8 May 2010 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> They have a son, and live in London.<ref name="DanceTabs">{{cite news |last1=Parry |first1=Jann |title=Interview – Viviana Durante: Ballerina, mother, teacher and coach of MacMillan's Anastasia |url=https://dancetabs.com/2016/11/interview-viviana-durante-ballerina-mother-teacher-and-coach-of-macmillans-anastasia/ |access-date=22 December 2019 |work=DanceTabs |date=8 November 2016}}</ref> |
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==Awards and honours (selected)== |
==Awards and honours (selected)== |
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*2018 Premio Eccellenze della Danza |
*2018 Premio Eccellenze della Danza |
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*2019 Premio Fabbrini, Florence |
*2019 Premio Fabbrini, Florence |
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*2023 Premio Nazionale Sfera D’Oro, Premio alla Carriera<ref>{{Cite web |last=admin_lasfer |title=Premio Nazionale Sfera d'Oro per la Danza - Teatro Verdi - 30/09/2023 |url=https://www.lasferadanzafestival.it/edizione2023/evento/premio-nazionale-sfera-d-oro-per-la-danza/ |access-date=2023-10-19 |website=La Sfera Danza Festival |language=it-IT}}</ref> |
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==Theatre== |
==Theatre== |
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*2009 ''Lullaby Burn'' – monologue written by [[Simon Stephens]], Lyric Theatre, [[Hammersmith, London]] |
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*2008 ''Fram'' – new play by [[Tony Harrison]], [[Royal National Theatre]], London |
*2008 ''Fram'' – new play by [[Tony Harrison]], [[Royal National Theatre]], London |
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*2007 ''Escaping Hamlet'' – play at [[Edinburgh Festival]] directed by Gianpiero Borgia |
*2007 ''Escaping Hamlet'' – play at [[Edinburgh Festival]] directed by Gianpiero Borgia |
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==Films== |
==Films== |
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*1990 ''[[Die Fledermaus]]'' ([[Royal Opera House]]) |
*1990 ''[[Die Fledermaus]]'' ([[Royal Opera House]]) |
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*1991 ''[[Winter Dreams]]'' (Royal Ballet) |
*1991 ''[[Winter Dreams (ballet)|Winter Dreams]]'' ([[Royal Ballet]]) |
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*1993 ''[[George Balanchine]] Celebration'' ([[New York City Ballet]]) |
*1993 ''[[George Balanchine]] Celebration'' ([[New York City Ballet]]) |
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*1993 ''Gala Tribute To Tchaikovsky'' (Royal Opera House) |
*1993 ''Gala Tribute To Tchaikovsky'' (Royal Opera House) |
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*1994 ''[[The Sleeping Beauty (ballet)|The Sleeping Beauty]]'' (Royal Ballet) |
*1994 ''[[The Sleeping Beauty (ballet)|The Sleeping Beauty]]'' (Royal Ballet) |
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*1994 ''[[Mayerling]]'' (Royal Ballet) |
*1994 ''[[Mayerling (ballet)|Mayerling]]'' (Royal Ballet) |
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*2000 ''[[Carmen]]'' ([[K-Ballet]]) |
*2000 ''[[Carmen]]'' ([[K-Ballet]]) |
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*2000 ''Royal Opera House Opening Celebration'' |
*2000 ''Royal Opera House Opening Celebration'' |
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*2002 ''[[Giselle]]'' (K-Ballet) |
*2002 ''[[Giselle]]'' (K-Ballet) |
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*2002 ''Ogni 27 Agosto'' (film directed by [[Antonio Serrano]]) |
*2002 ''Ogni 27 Agosto'' (film directed by [[Antonio Serrano (director)|Antonio Serrano]]) |
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*2003 ''[[Swan Lake]]'' (K-Ballet) |
*2003 ''[[Swan Lake]]'' (K-Ballet) |
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*2003 ''The Sleeping Beauty'' (K-Ballet) |
*2003 ''The Sleeping Beauty'' (K-Ballet) |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Durante, Viviana}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Durante, Viviana}} |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Italian prima ballerinas]] |
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[[Category:English ballerinas]] |
[[Category:English ballerinas]] |
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[[Category:People educated at the Royal Ballet School]] |
[[Category:People educated at the Royal Ballet School]] |
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[[Category:Prix de Lausanne winners]] |
[[Category:Prix de Lausanne winners]] |
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[[Category:1967 births]] |
[[Category:1967 births]] |
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[[Category:Living people]] |
[[Category:Living people]] |
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[[Category:20th-century Italian ballet dancers]] |
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Latest revision as of 03:16, 12 April 2024
Viviana Durante | |
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![]() Viviana Durante as Aurora in Sleeping Beauty (1994) | |
Born | Rome, Italy | 8 May 1967
Occupation | Ballet dancer |
Years active | 1984–2020 |
Height | 1.57 m (5 ft 2 in) |
Spouse | |
Children | 1 |
Awards | Prix de Lausanne Evening Standard Ballet Award Laurence Olivier Award |
Website | Official website |
Viviana Durante (born 8 May 1967) is an Italian ballet dancer, considered one of the great dramatic ballerinas of recent times.[1] She was a principal dancer of The Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Teatro alla Scala and K-Ballet. She is the artistic director of English National Ballet School and of the Viviana Durante Company.[2][3]
Early career
[edit]Durante was born in Rome and started ballet there at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma aged six. Spotted by ballerina Galina Samsova, she joined the lower school of the Royal Ballet School at White Lodge in Richmond Park, London. A year later, she featured in a Thames Television documentary entitled I really want to dance. Shortly after graduating to the upper school, aged 17, she joined the Royal Ballet Company. Two years later, she attracted national attention when she took over as Odette/Odile in mid-performance, never having been taught the role.[4] At 21, she became the company's youngest principal dancer, and a year later, in 1990, she became the youngest artist to receive the Evening Standard Ballet Award.
Royal Ballet
[edit]At the Royal Ballet, Durante danced all the main roles in ballets by Sir Kenneth MacMillan (Manon, Romeo and Juliet, Mayerling, Different Drummer, My Brother, My Sisters, Requiem, Elite Syncopations, Gloria, The Prince of the Pagodas and Anastasia, for which she was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award),[5] Sir Frederick Ashton (Cinderella, La fille mal gardée, Rhapsody, Ondine, A Month in the Country, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Symphonic Variations, Les Patineurs, Birthday Offering, Scènes de ballet, Thaïs pas de deux) and from the classical repertory (Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty, La Bayadere, Don Quixote, Les Biches, Raymonda, Diana and Actaeon, Sylvia pas de deux).
She created roles in many new works including MacMillan's The Judas Tree and Winter Dreams (based on Anton Chekhov's Three Sisters); Wayne McGregor's Fleur de Peux; Ashley Page's Pursuit, Piano, Bloodlines, ...now languorous, now wild... and Cheating, Lying, Stealing; Will Tuckett's Present Histories; David Bintley's Tombeaux; and Amedeo Amodio's Cabiria.
In 1992, Durante and her fellow principal Darcey Bussell were the joint subjects of a South Bank Show documentary Two Ballerinas at the Royal Ballet (UK: Two Royal Ballet Dancers), and the following year both were invited by the New York City Ballet for the Balanchine Celebration at the New York State Theater.
In 1995, she appeared in the title role of a ninety-minute version of Tchaikovsky's The Sleeping Beauty, which was telecast on Great Performances by PBS during the Christmas season.[6] In 1998, Durante made a return to the Rome stage as a guest artist in Prokovsky's production of the Tchaikovsky ballet, one of many international guest appearances.
Durante appeared on the cover of Cosmopolitan and Harpers and Queen magazines and was profiled in many publications including Vogue,[7] Elle, and Hello. She modelled for photographic shoots for Karl Lagerfeld and Valentino and for catwalk shows by Maison Gattinoni, and featured in commercials for Toyota.
In 1999, a disagreement between Durante and The Royal Ballet, reportedly following her request for a cast change after she was dropped by a partner, blew up into a national media storm.[8] After what the media called a 'dazzling 12-year career' as one of British ballet's major stars,[9] Durante left the company in 2001 to pursue a freelance career.[10]
Subsequent career
[edit]Durante joined American Ballet Theatre as a principal dancer for the 1999 spring season at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York City. She subsequently appeared as a guest artist with major international ballet companies including La Scala Milan, Tokyo Ballet and Dresden Semperoper Ballett. From 2003 to 2012, she was the leading ballerina of Japan's K-Ballet, founded by fellow Royal Ballet alumnus Tetsuya Kumakawa. Continuing to perform the classics, she also took roles in ballets including Bintley's Cyrano de Bergerac; George Balanchine's Apollo, Ballet Imperial, Stravinsky Violin Concerto, Who Cares? and Symphony in C; Rudolf Nureyev's Laurentia; Tetley's La Ronde; Uwe Scholz's The Red and the Black; Roland Petit's Coppelia, Carmen and Duke Ellington Ballet; and André Prokovsky's Anna Karenina.
Durante is a patron of The Hammond School and New English Ballet Theatre. She is a regular juror at competitions including the Prix de Lausanne and the Beijing International Ballet Competition. In 2010, a work choreographed by Durante premiered at Dance Base, Edinburgh,[11] and the same year she collaborated with Richard Eyre on a dance adaptation of the film Truly, Madly, Deeply.[12]
Durante holds diplomas in dance education from the Royal Ballet School and Trinity College, London.[13] In 2016, she returned to The Royal Ballet as a regular guest coach.[14] In 2017, she founded Viviana Durante Company which debuted with Kenneth MacMillan: Steps Back in Time at the Barbican Centre.[15] In 2020 the company premiered Isadora Now at the same venue.[16] Durante was the consultant and wrote the foreword for the 2018 DK book Ballet: The Definitive Illustrated History.[17] In 2019 she was appointed Director of Dance and in 2020 Artistic Director at English National Ballet School.[18]
Critical reviews
[edit]Critics noted Durante's combination of immaculate technique and acting ability, often describing her as a blend of Latin passion and British coolness.[19] Her Anastasia was widely appreciated, her Manon (with Russian dancer Irek Mukhamedov as Des Grieux, in particular) has been called the definitive interpretation, and the recording of her performance in The Sleeping Beauty has been perhaps most influential. Critics called her 'the most dramatic of dancers',[20] and an 'unsurpassable actress' (The Independent).[21]
Personal life
[edit]Durante married the British author and journalist Nigel Cliff in June 2009.[22] They have a son, and live in London.[23]
Awards and honours (selected)
[edit]- Awarded Dancer of the Year in the UK, Japan, Italy, Chile
- 1984 Prix de Lausanne
- 1989 Time Out Award
- 1989 Evening Standard Award
- 1991 Premio Positano
- 1997 Premio Internazionale "Gino Tani" per le Arti dello Spettacolo, Rome
- 1997 Laurence Olivier Award – nominated for Anastasia
- 2002 Premio Positano
- 2003 Premio Vignale danza
- 2006 Premio Bucchi
- 2007 Premio Apulia
- 2018 Premio Eccellenze della Danza
- 2019 Premio Fabbrini, Florence
- 2023 Premio Nazionale Sfera D’Oro, Premio alla Carriera[24]
Theatre
[edit]- 2008 Fram – new play by Tony Harrison, Royal National Theatre, London
- 2007 Escaping Hamlet – play at Edinburgh Festival directed by Gianpiero Borgia
Films
[edit]- 1990 Die Fledermaus (Royal Opera House)
- 1991 Winter Dreams (Royal Ballet)
- 1993 George Balanchine Celebration (New York City Ballet)
- 1993 Gala Tribute To Tchaikovsky (Royal Opera House)
- 1994 The Sleeping Beauty (Royal Ballet)
- 1994 Mayerling (Royal Ballet)
- 2000 Carmen (K-Ballet)
- 2000 Royal Opera House Opening Celebration
- 2002 Giselle (K-Ballet)
- 2002 Ogni 27 Agosto (film directed by Antonio Serrano)
- 2003 Swan Lake (K-Ballet)
- 2003 The Sleeping Beauty (K-Ballet)
References
[edit]- ^ Rogai, Natasha (October–November 2016). "The Importance of Emotion". Dance Journal/HK. 18 (5): 16.
- ^ "Viviana Durante Becomes Artistic Director of English National Ballet School". English National Ballet School. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
- ^ Craine, Debra. "Viviana Durante: How Isadora Duncan drew me back to the stage". The Times. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
- ^ "English National Ballet School - Staff". English National Ballet School. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Olivier Awards with MasterCard – Official Site". Officiallondontheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
- ^ "Great Performances (1971– ) : The Sleeping Beauty". IMDb.com. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
- ^ British Vogue, October 1991.
- ^ Hattenstone, Simon (19 April 1999). "'I gave the Royal Ballet the best years of my life. And this is how they thank me' | Stage". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ Alexander, Stuart. "Dalton's thrilling battle". The Independent. Retrieved 25 November 2016.[dead link]
- ^ Brown, Ismene (30 March 2000). "Farewell for now, Viviana". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 November 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ Rebecca King (19 August 2010). "Elegantly Tearful". The Skinny. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
- ^ David Benedict (30 December 2011). "Directors revived U.K. stage in 2011". Variety. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
- ^ "The Royal Ballet School celebrates Diploma of Dance Teaching 2014-16 Graduate success". Royal Ballet School. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
- ^ "Viviana Durante". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
- ^ "Kenneth MacMillan: Steps Back in Time". Barbican Centre. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Isadora Now: Triple Bill". Barbican. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
- ^ "Ballet by DK". Penguin Random House. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
- ^ "Staff". English National Ballet School. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
- ^ David Lister (12 April 1999). "Does a prima ballerina bounce?". The Independent. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Ballet.co RB Principals". Archived from the original on 6 March 2002. Retrieved 6 March 2002.
- ^ "Press". Viviana-durante.com. 20 June 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
- ^ "Birthdays: Viviana Durante". The Times. 8 May 2010. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ Parry, Jann (8 November 2016). "Interview – Viviana Durante: Ballerina, mother, teacher and coach of MacMillan's Anastasia". DanceTabs. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
- ^ admin_lasfer. "Premio Nazionale Sfera d'Oro per la Danza - Teatro Verdi - 30/09/2023". La Sfera Danza Festival (in Italian). Retrieved 19 October 2023.