Acosta Danza Carmen Sadlers Wells July 2024

[San Perregrino]

Opening Night cast:

 

Carmen - Laura Rodriguez

Don José - Alejandro Silva

Escamillo - Enrique Corrales

The Bull - Carlos Acosta

Zuniga - Denzel Francis

Corp de Ballet -

Raúi Reinoso

Zeleydi Crespo

Patricia Torres

Daniela FranciaAdria Díaz

Jennifer Suarez

Amisaday Naara

Frank Isaac

Leandro Fernandez

Brandy Martinez

Elizabeth Tablada

Brian Ernesto

Chay Deivis

Liana Taly

[Emeralds]

Great cast, especially with Laura Rodriguez as Carmen! Zeleydi Crespo is also fantastic in all she does. This will be interesting as the production that Carlos made for the Royal Ballet was just one act and this will be full length. I'll be interested to hear what @San Perregrino and others attending think of it, as I'm not free to attend this production. 

[Blossom]

Any notes on run time please? Going tonight. 

[art_enthusiast]

I’m going on Thursday!

[Emeralds]

1 hour ago, Blossom said:

Any notes on run time please? Going tonight. 

Blossom, the Sadler's Wells website now says 1 h 40 mins - that includes the interval of 20 minutes. Opening night might have prolonged curtain calls and so on, though,  given that Carlos is in the show. Look forward to reading what you and @art_enthusiast think of this expanded version.

[Blossom]

I decided to buy tickets to Acosta Danza’s Carmen on the strength of the excerpt performed at ‘Carlos at 50’ at ROH last summer. I knew that reviews here and elsewhere hadn’t been great in terms of Acosta’s original Carmen, but I was excited at the prospect of Acosta Danza performing the piece and adding the Latin flavour and earthiness which a ballet company perhaps doesn’t have.

 

The first thing I would say is that tonight’s performance was perhaps mis-sold. The production largely centres on 3 characters - Carmen, Don Jose and the Torreador (can’t remember the name of this character!). Tonight, these roles were all played by BRB dancers and I really felt, particularly in Act 1, that Acosta Danza didn’t get enough stage time for this to be their show.

 

 Act 1 seemed quite lacklustre, which I think was a combination of the original choreography (sorry Carlos) and lack of emotion, passion or fire in the main characters. 
 

Act 2 opened with what I think was the section performed at Carlos at 50. This was true Acosta Danza - the rhythm, the passion and the spirit. Even the more balletic elements danced by Yaoqian Shang contained more fire. Lachlan Monaghan oozed testosterone as the toreador and of the 3 guest dancers, was the definite highlight. Even the return of Don Jose had more passion and emotion.

 

Its a shame that we didn’t get the opportunity to see Acosta Danza dancers featured more prominently, the audience clearly engaged with the elements of choreography which felt much more like the Cuban company than some of the original choreography from the production’s first iteration. It also feels like this production needs a lot more work to be considered for for purpose - more energy is needed in act 1, a rework of some of the original royal ballet choreography which isn’t quite slick or fast paced enough to create the demand for a second act. 
 

Set design was rather fabulous though - a clever use of the space and loved the big red ‘O’ which filled with a relevant image/background to provide location/setting.

[San Perregrino]

Interesting to read your thoughts @Blossom 

 

Acosta Danza are a vibrant company. Not for me this week though. Perhaps this attempt to impose a piece created elsewhere on such a vibrant, fluid company is misguided.

I attended on opening night when the cast was Acosta Danza with no BRB guests. What to say? While there were some moments to take away, the group scenes and perhaps a pas de deux or two, the piece overall felt muddled and confused. Neither fish nor foul. The precision and detail I remember from the ROH piece which is inherent in flamenco or flamenco-inspired choreography was lacking. Some casting choices were bewildering and acting abilities varied. Sex appeal and chemistry were missing. Casting Carlos Acosta as the bull  cast a shadow over the whole evening and I feel the whole piece would have been better balanced had this role gone to another dancer. 
Can anyone can tell me why there was a Chippendale style Full Monty strip down to laced crotch flesh coloured briefs in Act 1? The baring of chests and undressing to bras through the piece added nothing and seemed more an effort to distract the viewer from what was (or wasn’t) happening. I left wishing that there had been guest dancers from BRB to prop the piece up. 

Edited 20 hours ago by San Perregrino

[bridiem]

7 minutes ago, San Perregrino said:

Can anyone can tell me why there was a Chippendale style Full Monty strip down to laced crotch flesh coloured briefs in Act 1? The baring of chests and undressing to bras through the piece added nothing and seemed more an effort to distract the viewer from what was (or wasn’t) happening.

 

Sounds dreadful.

[MAB]

I hate to confess this but last night I left in the first interval.  I am a massive Acosta fan but for many reasons the piece simply wasn't working for me.

[Blossom]

3 hours ago, MAB said:

I hate to confess this but last night I left in the first interval.  I am a massive Acosta fan but for many reasons the piece simply wasn't working for me.

I can completely understand this, but the second half felt like a completely different show!

[Scheherezade]

3 hours ago, MAB said:

I hate to confess this but last night I left in the first interval.  I am a massive Acosta fan but for many reasons the piece simply wasn't working for me.

I’m not surprised, MAB, it didn’t work for me either but I stuck it out and yawned, although it seemed to go down a storm with much of the audience at the rear of the second circle. Just goes to show the pulling power of Carlos Acosta!

 

I wasn’t sure how much, if anything, was replicated from the original RB version - perhaps those with better memories could advise - but much as that version didn’t impress, this did even less for me. 
 

I found it messy and uncoordinated, and the two lead dancers - the ever wonderful Laura Fernandez, and Alejandro Silva - individually dazzled on the very rare occasions when they got the chance and both seemed capable of so much more than the slim pickings that they were given. What a lost opportunity!

 

Carlos looked mightily impressive with his bull horns, although the purpose of his character might have somehow got lost in translation as my daughter asked me: “What’s the devil doing in this ballet?”, and I will agree that the middle section, with the drum beats, was an improvement on the opening section, but sadly that’s as positive as I can get. 
 

Carlos Acosta has many wonderful qualities but on this showing, choreography isn't one of them. 

 

 

[Sim]

1 hour ago, Scheherezade said:

Carlos looked mightily impressive with his bull horns, although the purpose of his character might have somehow got lost in translation as my daughter asked me: “What’s the devil doing in this ballet?”, and I will agree that the middle section, with the drum beats, was an improvement on the opening section, but sadly that’s as positive as I can get. 
 

Carlos Acosta has many wonderful qualities but on this showing, choreography isn't one of them. 

 

 

I can't remember if it was Carlos in the RB version, but someone turned up onstage with the bull horns on and I said at the time that he looked like Jay Kay from Jamiroquai.  I couldn't take it seriously after that....not that I had anyway.  It was one of the worst things I had ever seen on the ROH stage which is why I didn't book for this.  

 

 

[Tony Newcombe]

1 hour ago, Sim said:

I can't remember if it was Carlos in the RB version, but someone turned up onstage with the bull horns on and I said at the time that he looked like Jay Kay from Jamiroquai.  I couldn't take it seriously after that....not that I had anyway.  It was one of the worst things I had ever seen on the ROH stage which is why I didn't book for this.  

 

 

Matthew Golding?

[Balletfanp]

Yes - and very uncomfortable he looked too, poor chap!

 

I think it was also Ryoichi in another cast.