Carmen by Compañía Nacional de Danza

Award-winning choreographer Johan Inger’s “Carmen,” originally created for the Compañía Nacional de Danza, distills the classic story to focus on its universal themes of passion and revenge.

Carmen

• Choreographer: Johan Inger.
• Music: Georges Bizet, Rodion Shchedrin, and Marc Alvarez.
• Lead dancers: Alessandro Riga and Kayoko Everhart.
• Artistic Director: Joaquín de Luz.

This well-known story located in Sevilla shows the consequences of jealousy and rage when the young gypsy Carmen refuses to be controlled by Don José. While Carmen represents freedom and independence, Don José symbolizes the struggle between obsession for her and his duty as soldier.

Spain’s Compañía Nacional de Danza will perform Carmen, in choreographer Johan Inger’s reimagined version of Georges Bizet’s opera. Returning to Prosper Mérimée’s original novel for inspiration, Inger frames the action through the eyes of a child, re-examining the characters through a contemporary prism.

With music by Georges Bizet, arrangements by Rodion Shchedrin, and additional original music by Marc Álvarez, Inger’s Carmen combines contemporary and classical dance, bringing a fresh perspective to Bizet’s opera that led him to win the Prix Benois de la Danse.

There is a certain mystery within this character. It could be any kid, it could be Don José when he was a boy, it could be a young Michaela or Carmen and José’s unborn child. It could even be ourselves, with our very first goodness wounded due to a violent experience that, though brief, has had a negative impact in our lives and our ability to interact with others forever.

—Johan Inger