Three by Duato

This studio recording features full-length performances of three Nacho Duato ballets: Arenal, Duende, and Por Vos Muero. Each performance is preceded by an Introduction that includes behind-the-scenes filming, commentary by Duato and interviews with the corps of dancers.

Nacho Duato is undoubtedly one of the greatest choreographers of our generation. He began his career as an astonishing dancer at NDT under Jiri Kylian. In 1988 Nacho Duato was named Resident Choreographer for Nederlands Dans Theater working alongside Hans van Manen and Jiri Kylian. With the growing succes and from international companies requesting a work of his for their repertoire, Duato had to take a decisive step in his career. His ballets form part of the repertoire of companies like Cullberg Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Deutsche Oper Ballet, Australian Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Ballet Gulbenkian, Finnish Opera Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Royal Ballet and American Ballet Theatre and Paris Opera Ballet.

In 1990, Nacho Duato became Artistic Director of the National Dance Company in Madrid where he developed his career as a choreographer of great international renown. He received the Gold Medal of Merit in Fine Arts, the title of Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, Benois de la Danse and the Spanish National Dance Award among others.

From 2011-2014, Nacho Duato held the position of Artistic Director of the Mikhailovsky Ballet of St. Petersburg. From 2014-2018, Nacho Duato held the position of Artistic Director of the Staatsballett Berlin and Resident Choreographer at the Mikhailovsky Theatre, where he returned as Artistic Director in 2019.

Under the direction of choreographer Nacho Duato, Compañia Nacional de Danza developed an unmistakable style, a mixture of classical dance and contemporary dance, and became one of the largest European ballet groups today.
Let’s see in this program three works by Nacho Duato: “Por Vos Muero”, a ballet inspired by Spanish popular music of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, with poems by Garcilaso de la Vega, which reveals an expressive and exact portrait of that time; “Duende”, where the dancers move to the sound of Debussy’s music. Literally the word means “elves” or “fairies”. An individual who radiates great energy is said to be possessed by a “goblin”. In Andalusia it is said that the Flemish has “Duende” – that is, a touch of enchantment. “Arenal”, the third ballet, with the participation of Majorcan singer Maria del Mar Bonet, continues the theme of the joy and pain of the work of the land, which Duato explored first in his much acclaimed ballet Jardi, Trancat. In this ballet, Duato captures the exfusiant joy of the Mediterranean character, contrasting with the difficult toil of day-to-day.

White Darkness by Compañía Nacional de Danza, Nacho Duato Por vos muero by Compañía Nacional de Danza, Nacho Duato Duende by Compañía Nacional de Danza, Nacho Duato White Darkness, the Lavender Follies by Nacho Duato The Soldier’s Tale by Nacho Duato Romeo and Juliet by Compañía Nacional de Danza