{"id":24277,"date":"2024-04-12T00:06:39","date_gmt":"2024-04-11T23:06:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/?p=24277"},"modified":"2024-04-12T00:06:39","modified_gmt":"2024-04-11T23:06:39","slug":"carmen-through-the-eyes-of-don-jose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/en\/carmen-through-the-eyes-of-don-jose\/","title":{"rendered":"Carmen Through the Eyes of Don Jos\u00e9"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe title=\"Johan Inger&#039;s Carmen | English National Ballet at Sadler&#039;s Wells Theatre\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/K6mhXwYvXnk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p class=\"s4\"><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">Unlike the usual productions of Carmen, Inger<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">\u2019<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">s interpretation lacks the hot Spanish romance and gaiety, replaced by faceless figures dressed in black jackets, while the <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">bleak<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\"> setting is determined by the concrete walls <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">of a <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">modern city and the images of violence, madness and death that haunt Don Jos<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">\u00e9<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">. In this variation, the minimalist spirit of Scandinavia is evident in the sets, and the dancers<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">\u2019<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\"> modern costumes are reminiscent of <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">MiuMiu<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\"> latest collections, which only adds to the production<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">\u2019<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">s<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">contemporary feel<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\"> and visually brings the <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">setting<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\"> of <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s6\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">Carmen<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\"> into the 21st century.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"s7\"><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">In his work, Inger sought to explore the theme of violence against women, but by doing so through the narrative of the jealous Don Jos<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">\u00e9<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">, the choreographer also revealed the character of Carmen from a completely new perspective. Leaving room for the<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">audience<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">\u2019<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">s<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\"> own interpretation, Inger, with the help of Don Jos<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">\u00e9<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">, seems to question whether Carmen is really a free-spirited beauty, a manipulator who uses <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">her <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">only <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">available <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">weapon for social advancement, or a destructive spirit who brings madness and grief to anyone who meets her.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"s7\"><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">As Don Jos<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">\u00e9 <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">plunges into madness, her inner emptiness and her seemingly obvious inability to love are exposed, which makes the ending so <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">expected, yet <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">even more <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">dark<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">: unable to cope with h<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">is<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">feelings and Carmen<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">\u2019<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">s indifference, Don Jos<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">\u00e9 <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">kills his beloved. However, since this story represents precisely Don Jos<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">\u00e9<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">\u2019<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">s<\/span><\/span> <span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">distorted view of unrequited love, the image of Carmen <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">purposefully looses its<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\"> valid<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">ity<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">. This image lives a separate life in Don Jos<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">\u00e9<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">\u2019<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">s mind, created by him to first love her and then <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">to <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">justify her murder. This adds <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">layers<\/span><\/span> <span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">to the nature <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">of Inger<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">\u2019<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">s<\/span><\/span> <span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">Carmen <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">\u2014<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\"> the <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">audience<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">cannot help but <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">sympathise<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\"> with Don Jos<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">\u00e9<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">, but<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\"> at the same time is deprived of <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">truly know<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">ing<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\"> Carmen.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"s7\"><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">Inger<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">\u2019<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">s extraordinarily lively choreography, together with the impeccable work of the English National Ballet dancers and the use of Rodion Shchedrin<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">\u2019<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">s Bizet arrangements, create a rapidly changing atmosphere that never slows down for a moment in the whirlwind of the characters<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">\u2019 <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">precise but ambiguous movements. The dancers do not need pointe shoes and the ease of movement of the<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">ir movements <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">speaks even louder as they sneak across the stage, glimpsing Don Jos<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">\u00e9 <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">and drawing him deeper into the abyss of madness. Despite the short length of the performance, its pacing allows one to fully experience the change in Don Jos<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">\u00e9 <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">as the plot unfolds and<\/span><\/span> <span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">the contrast between its beginning, filled with the colo<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">u<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">r of women<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">\u2019<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">s<\/span><\/span> <span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">dresses and bright lighting, and the end<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\"> that <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">drown<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">s<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\"> in Don Jos<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">\u00e9<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">\u2019<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">s <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">isolation<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\"> and <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">dim<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\"> light<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">s<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"s7\"><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">In 2016, Inger won one of ballet<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">\u2019<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">s most prestigious awards, the Benois de la Danse, precisely for his work on <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s6\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">Carmen<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">. In 2024, almost a decade after its premiere, Inger<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">\u2019<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">s <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s6\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">Carmen<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\"> has become even more relevant amid the increasingly frequent <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">raising of the issue<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\"> o<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\"> violence against women in times of widespread military conflict<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">s<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s5\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;\"><span class=\"bumpedFont15\">.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sadler\u2019s Wells hosted a limited run of English National Ballet\u2019s new performance of Carmen, directed by the renowned Swedish choreographer Johan Inger. This phenomenal performance was one of the most striking and memorable interpretations of Georges Bizet\u2019s classical work. The plot revolves around Don Jos\u00e9 and his tragic obsession with the beautiful gypsy Carmen, but for the first time the story is told on behalf of the man, while the figure of Carmen acts as a lyrical device to reveal the theme of abusive relationships.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":24229,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[86,144],"tags":[],"type_post":[],"column":[],"class_list":["post-24277","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","category-lifestyle"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24277","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24277"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24277\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24229"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24277"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24277"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24277"},{"taxonomy":"type_post","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/type_post?post=24277"},{"taxonomy":"column","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/column?post=24277"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}