When Johan Inger was asked to create a new version of Carmen, being himself Swedish and Carmen a piece with a strong Spanish nature, he faced an enormous challenge. But it was also a great opportunity. The story witnessed through the eyes of a young watcher reveals the tale stripped to its mythic and universal elements of passion and violence.
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
Swedish choreographer Johan Inger won the Benois de la Danse 2016 for his striking new choreography set to the beloved music of Georges Bizet, arranged by Rodion Shchedrin. Inger returned to the source novel by Prosper Mérimée for inspiration, framing the action through the eyes of a child observer and stripping the story to its universal themes of love, passion, and the consequences of violence. Kayoko Everhard shines as Carmen, supported with aplomb by Daan Vervoort as Don José and a superlatively polished supporting cast–including the dancers of the Spanish National Dance Company–in this alluring production from La Rochelle's La Coursive. Curt Allen Wilmer's dynamic set design and Tom Visser's expert lighting highlight the drama of this treasured tale as you've never seen it before!