A uniquely special experience
Carlos Acosta’s reputation truly does precede him: becoming the English National Ballet’s youngest principal dancer in 1991, aged only 18, he has spent the three and a half decades since then establishing himself as one of the most in-demand, widely-loved dancers and choreographers of all time. So, expectations were high for this latest showing – his full-length, original production of Carmen. And, as is usually the case with Acosta, expectations were exceeded, writes Melina Block.
The story remains faithful to Bizet’s iconic opera, with the titular temptress, danced this night by the wonderfully expressive Adria Díaz, tangled up in a dangerous love triangle between Alexander Arias’ Don José and Alejandro Silva’s Escamillo. The chemistry between the three leads is heated, oozing sensuality with their powerfully articulated movements. When the entire corps de ballet is present, the stage really comes alive, infused with the energy and drama that Acosta has become known for.
It is hard to know what the early European audiences thought when they first witnessed ballet in the theatres and courts of France, Italy, and Russia, but this production ignites what I can only imagine are similar feelings of excitement. The choreography and costumes are decadent, the dancers full of passion, not only for the story but for the art of ballet itself; this is precisely the kind of show that proves there is a place for ballet in the 21st century.
Acosta’s dancers also highlight something which he has himself been living proof of for years: gone are the days where frail, waiflike ballerinas are deemed the standard. Their athleticism and strength are bewildering, bringing electric exuberance to a classical art form much in need of updating, blowing away the image of ballet as stuffy, uptight, and, essentially, boring.
Whether it is your first or hundredth time at the ballet, Carlos Acosta’s Carmen is sure to be a uniquely special experience.
Booking and full tour details: https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/carlos-acostas-carmen/
