In a streak of passion and choreographic novelty, Spain National Dance Company (CND) revisits Macau this time to bring with Carmen, a dance adaptation of Bizet’s operatic masterpiece. Created by Swedish choreographer Johan Inger, the performance offers dance and music lovers a pure, uncontaminated view of a classic. Blending the original score with additional contemporary music into his version, Inger constructed the action seen through the innocent eyes of a young boy.
The plot revolves around a love triangle composed by Don José, the main prison guard, the very sexy Carmen and the Toreador, who in this version is portrayed more as a pop star. In a dramatic crescendo, the story is filled with intense lust and violent moments that lead to the heroin’s death.
Founded in 1979, the CND is a world class dance company built on a vast repertoire created by a string of renowned artistic directors and choreographers, including Nacho Duato who has a directorship of over 20 years. Currently led by artistic director and former principal dancer of the Paris Opera Ballet, Jose Carlos Martinez, the company displays a versatile cast and creative team. Set out to interpret pieces in styles as diverse as neoclassical, modern and contemporary ballet, the CND reserves a special place for Spanish and vanguard choreographers.
Based in one of the most successful operas ever produced, Carmen’s tale of jealousy and desire was firstly adapted from a novella by Prosper Mérimée before it became widely attractive to a string of prestigious choreographers. Removed from the usual stereotypes usually associated with the story, Johan Inger’s Carmen stages a sober, contemporary version with a subtle proximity with the 1960’s. Theatrical and dramatic, the very same production which has earned him a Benois de la Danse award in 2016.
When: 8:00pm, November 3 and 4
Where: Macao Cultural Centre – Grand Auditorium, Avenida Xian Xing Hai s/n, Nape
How much: MOP $300, $250
