Jan McNulty Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 English National Ballet Carmen Sadler’s Wells, London Wednesday 27 March – Saturday 06 April 2024 www.ballet.org.uk/carmen English National Ballet presents the UK premiere of Johan Inger’s award-winning Carmen at Sadler’s Wells, London from 27 March – 06 April. Inger, whose work is rarely seen in the UK, has boldly reimagined the classic tale of seduction and obsession with choreography that combines contemporary and classical movement to powerful effect. Nine large movable mirrors frame the action – transporting audiences from a town square through to the troubled mind of Don José. Menace and foreboding loom over the stage, thanks to additional music by Marc Alvarez which complements Bizet and Shchedrin’s classic score, performed live by English National Ballet Philharmonic. Inger has choreographed for major companies around the world, including Nederlands Dans Theater and Spain’s National Dance Company. He won the Prix Benois de la Danse for Carmen. Dancers: Emily Suzuki and Junor Souza. Photo © Jason Bell. Creative Direction: Charlotte Wilkinson Studio. English National Ballet is a National Portfolio Organisation supported by Arts Council England. Ballymore is Principal Building Partner of English National Ballet. Production Sponsor: Cunard Listings: English National Ballet Carmen Sadler’s Wells, London 27 March – 6 April 2024 www.ballet.org.uk/carmen Creative Team: Johan Inger - Choreography George Bizet - Music Rodion Shchedrin - Music Marc Álvarez - Additional original music Álvaro Domínguez Vázquez - Orchestration David Delfin - Costume designs Tom Visser - Lighting Design Curt Allen Wilmer and Leticia Ganan AAPEE with estudiodeDos - Set Design Gregor Acuña-Pohl - Dramaturgy Toby Mallitt - Stager Urtzi Aranburu - Stager About English National Ballet English National Ballet has a long and distinguished history. Founded in 1950 as London Festival Ballet by the great English dancers Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin, it has been at the forefront of ballet’s growth and evolution ever since. English National Ballet brings world class ballet to the widest possible audience through performances across the UK and on eminent international stages; its distinguished orchestra, English National Ballet Philharmonic; its digital platforms Ballet on Demand and BalletActive; being a UK leader in creative learning and engagement practice, building innovative partnerships to deliver flagship programmes such as Dance for Parkinson’s; and through talent development initiatives including Ballet Futures which looks to create a more diverse and inclusive future for the artform. English National Ballet continues to add ground-breaking new works to its repertoire whilst celebrating the tradition of great classical ballet, gaining acclaim for artistic excellence and creativity. 2019 saw the Company enter a new chapter in its history with a move to a purpose-built state-of-the-art home in east London, allowing a renewed commitment to creativity, ambition, and connection to more people, near and far, than ever before. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 Already got ticket for March 27th! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 Cast? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophoife Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 Asking for casting two months in advance just reminds me, we in Australia are also going to see Johan Inger's Carmen, in Sydney, dates 10-27 April. We certainly don't expect to see principal casting made available until, probably, 5 April. Link to AusBallet's production page here. It's quite interesting to read AusBallet's provided info next to ENB's, as it makes no mention that Bizet's score has been augmented, it doesn't mention mirrors, and it doesn't mention the Benois de la Danse! "Johan Inger’s award-winning production of Carmen is an exhilarating journey that thrusts Georges Bizet’s 19th-century opera into the modern world with a breathtaking display of athleticism and passion. "Created in 2015, Inger’s contemporary retelling of Prosper Mérimée’s 1845 novella is a darkly compelling story of the dangerously seductive Carmen, whose love affair with Don José ends in brutal tragedy. Broadening its gaze beyond its fiery heroine, Inger’s Carmen is seen through the eyes of a boy bewildered by the ugly manifestations of machismo. "Using Georges Bizet's famous score, Inger has reimagined the classic opera, transporting it to dance in a fascinating production. Including sublime passages for soloists and duos and ensemble sequences of consummate virtuosity, Carmen brings you the heat of southern Spain in a powerfully unique production. "Content warning: Carmen contains adult themes." Production credits Choreography Johan Inger Assistant choreographer (creation) Urtzi Aranburu Dramaturg Gregor Acuña-Pohl Music Rodion Shchedrin, Marc Álvarez, Georges Bizet orchestrated by Alvaro Dominguez Lighting design Tom Visser Decor design Curt Allen Wilmer and Leticia Gañan with estudiodeDos Costume design David Delfín World première 9 April 2015, Teatro de la Zarzuela, Madrid, Spain, Compaňia Nacional de Danza Madrid 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Perregrino Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 9 hours ago, FionaM said: Cast? The named characters are as follows: Carmen Don José The child Escamillo Zuniga Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 I must say a recent (last 10 years) spate of disappointing Carmen versions is not making me keen to see this. Also not helped by seeing the original company's YouTube videos- I think it might be one for contemporary dance aficionados. I rather wish the company were just doing a repeat of their September triple bill (or just Theme and Variations with Four Last Songs!) or something from their back catalogue instead eg In the Middle Somewhat Elevated, Les Sylphides, Approximate Sonata, Spring and Fall, Songs of a Wayfarer, etc. I also wouldn't mind seeing the Akram Khan Giselle again (I lthink London last had it in 2019 which is when I saw it) with new casts (well Isaac Hernandez and Crystal Costa are definitely not dancing with ENB this season). I will look out for reviews, clips and photos- perhaps those might change my mind. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 After ENB recently tweeted a clip of Petit's Carmen, and also seeing it on The Magic of Dance, I wish they were doing that version instead! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 Yes that version had a sort of horror film aura about it! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 On 31/01/2024 at 20:29, Dawnstar said: After ENB recently tweeted a clip of Petit's Carmen, and also seeing it on The Magic of Dance, I wish they were doing that version instead! Me too! Petit's choreography can be a bit "Marmite" for some- a number of people don't like his style - but I like most of his works and his Four Seasons (set to Vivaldi) actually succeeds in that tough challenge of being choreographed to very well-lnown music but looks good. His Meditation from Thais is gorgeous and comparable to Ashton's. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scheherezade Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 1 minute ago, Emeralds said: His Meditation from Thais is gorgeous and comparable to Ashton's. And we are unlikely ever to see either of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 (edited) 5 minutes ago, Scheherezade said: And we are unlikely ever to see either of them. If a few of the dancers who know it (eg Olga Smirnova) dance the Thais pas de deux in galas we have a good chance of seeing it live (I've only seen it on YouTube!) but I don't think the company he founded, Ballet National de Marseille, has staged The Four Seasons much recently (as far as I know) and there's a real danger of that ballet becoming lost. Autumn (made for Dominique Khalfouni and Denys Ganio- Mathieu Ganio's parents- and a corps de ballet) is particularly fun. Edited February 2 by Emeralds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 Not Carmen related but ENB just posted to say will be announcing their 2024-5 season one week from today! 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 Right now I'd find it more useful if they would announce the Carmen casting so I know if I have to go & see it or not. Now the MacMillan triple bill casting is out I'll be seeing that at least once, & quite likely twice, plus one SL during the time Carmen is running so those 10 days are getting rather crowded. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irmgard Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 23 hours ago, Dawnstar said: Right now I'd find it more useful if they would announce the Carmen casting so I know if I have to go & see it or not. Now the MacMillan triple bill casting is out I'll be seeing that at least once, & quite likely twice, plus one SL during the time Carmen is running so those 10 days are getting rather crowded. The company only started learning the piece on Tuesday so it is far too soon to be able to announce casting. Of course, a number of dancers have been selected for each role but it will be up to Mr. Inger as to which of them are actually given performances. However, let us hope the announcement will be a little bit earlier than that for the triple bill last autumn! 2 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 4 minutes ago, Irmgard said: The company only started learning the piece on Tuesday so it is far too soon to be able to announce casting. Of course, a number of dancers have been selected for each role but it will be up to Mr. Inger as to which of them are actually given performances. However, let us hope the announcement will be a little bit earlier than that for the triple bill last autumn! I'm interested to hear that it's being done that way around. I would have assumed that the casting was done first & then the dancers were taught the work, with changes to the intended cast only made if there was some major issue during rehearsals. Presumably it must be done that way round for pieces when casting is announced months in advance? It seems unlikely that, for instance, ENB had already started rehearsing Swan Lake for June back in the autumn when that casting was announced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irmgard Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 57 minutes ago, Dawnstar said: I'm interested to hear that it's being done that way around. I would have assumed that the casting was done first & then the dancers were taught the work, with changes to the intended cast only made if there was some major issue during rehearsals. Presumably it must be done that way round for pieces when casting is announced months in advance? It seems unlikely that, for instance, ENB had already started rehearsing Swan Lake for June back in the autumn when that casting was announced. This is because "Carmen" is a new production for the company. As I said, dancers have been selected for all the roles but, because Mr. Inger does not know the company, he will put the casts together once he has seen them in rehearsal and will cast the performances from that. It was completely different for me with "Giselle" as I knew the company so well and was able to put the casts together months in advance of rehearsals. Likewise, "Swan Lake" is a regular in the repertoire and thus able to be cast well in advance of the performances. 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 I now feel like emailing ENB asking if they could pass a message on to Johan Inger that ticket sales will be down by one if he doesn't select Frola for Don Jose! 😉 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irmgard Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 3 minutes ago, Dawnstar said: I now feel like emailing ENB asking if they could pass a message on to Johan Inger that ticket sales will be down by one if he doesn't select Frola for Don Jose! 😉 😅😊 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scheherezade Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 11 minutes ago, Dawnstar said: I now feel like emailing ENB asking if they could pass a message on to Johan Inger that ticket sales will be down by one if he doesn't select Frola for Don Jose! 😉 And that the listed casts aren’t shifted around with the random frequency of the Nutcracker and Giselle performances. Please! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 2 hours ago, Dawnstar said: I now feel like emailing ENB asking if they could pass a message on to Johan Inger that ticket sales will be down by one if he doesn't select Frola for Don Jose! 😉 Only by one? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 2 hours ago, Dawnstar said: I now feel like emailing ENB asking if they could pass a message on to Johan Inger that ticket sales will be down by one if he doesn't select Frola for Don Jose! 😉 I think that could be "down by one hundred" 😉 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 On 29/01/2024 at 22:23, LinMM said: Already got ticket for March 27th! LinMM is a brave, brave soul 😀 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 Well not really brave! I don’t know the ballet and how the characters will be brought out by Inger So going to the opening night is a calculated guess that if will be a very good cast ….even if not Frola lol! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Perregrino Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 3 hours ago, LinMM said: Well not really brave! I don’t know the ballet and how the characters will be brought out by Inger So going to the opening night is a calculated guess that if will be a very good cast ….even if not Frola lol! perhaps a Spaniard will be favoured on opening night of Carmen…? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAX Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 Having watched the trailer it looks very dated and not very exciting. Please Mr Watkins would it be possible to have innovative choreographers who, in their use of classical dance, move the art form forward ? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tango Dancer Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 7 hours ago, MAX said: Having watched the trailer it looks very dated and not very exciting. Please Mr Watkins would it be possible to have innovative choreographers who, in their use of classical dance, move the art form forward ? I'm not hugely overwhelmed by the trailer. I want to wait and see what people think before I decide if it's worth a trip to London for. I am also interested to see what ENB decide to tour this year in case it comes any nearer me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 The idea of yet another Carmen is what puts me off and I know I'm not alone. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Perregrino Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 (edited) 44 minutes ago, Mary said: The idea of yet another Carmen is what puts me off and I know I'm not alone. If it’s a good production then all will be well. we’ve just had ‘another’ Giselle (Mary Skeaping’s) and that went well so fingers crossed for Inger’s Carmen….: also later in the year we’ll be getting another Swan Lake (Derek Deane’s in the round) and then another Swan Lake (State Ballet of Georgia). Edited February 12 by PeterS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSR101 Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 I mean we are really still awaiting a brilliant Carmen (ballet) even if many people keep trying to create one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 Well, Peter, you are entitled to your opinion, but I don't think, myself, that all will be well. Giselle and Swan Lake are part of ballet history and central to the canon so it is not really a fair comparison. In my view, Carmen has never been made into a good ballet, and is a poor choice for a new ballet for so many reasons, not least that it is yet another story about a woman getting killed, but it is also very over-exposed in many forms. I am no great fan of Wayne McGregor but at least he reads, he thinks, and he comes up with interesting new sources for new ballets. So I am not keen on this idea. I wish nothing but well to the company and the dancers, of course. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 2 hours ago, Mary said: The idea of yet another Carmen is what puts me off and I know I'm not alone. You are definitely not alone, Mary. When this production was first announced I said I was going to pass, and I haven't changed my mind. Too much exposure to it in so many different forms over the decades has just turned me off. But I do hope it's a success for ENB. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Perregrino Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 4 hours ago, Mary said: Well, Peter, you are entitled to your opinion, but I don't think, myself, that all will be well. Giselle and Swan Lake are part of ballet history and central to the canon so it is not really a fair comparison. In my view, Carmen has never been made into a good ballet, and is a poor choice for a new ballet for so many reasons, not least that it is yet another story about a woman getting killed, but it is also very over-exposed in many forms. I am no great fan of Wayne McGregor but at least he reads, he thinks, and he comes up with interesting new sources for new ballets. So I am not keen on this idea. I wish nothing but well to the company and the dancers, of course. well, until I’ve seen it I’ll approach it with an open mind. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 This version did win the Benois de La Danse for choreography in 2016. The first few lines of this review are encouraging: Choreographer Johan Inger’s Carmen is one we have never seen: a Carmen turned inside out. In this danced-through reimagining of the world’s most-popular opera, we are pulled into the characters’ inner turmoil. Their dancing gets under our skin, at times deliberately unsettling us. https://theconversation.com/a-brutal-nightmarish-carmen-imbues-an-old-story-with-contemporary-resonances-113354 The whole ballet can be found on YouTube, performed by the Spanish company on whom it was created. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now