Bodas de sangre and Carmen at the National Ballet of Cuba’s anniversary celebrations
Under the title Leyendas, the National Ballet of Cuba, directed by prima ballerina Viengsay Valdés, continues its extensive programme of celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of its foundation.
Two emblematic pieces, Bodas de sangre and Carmen, will be performed from Thursday 12th to Sunday 15th October in the Avellaneda Hall of the National Theatre of Cuba.
Bodas de sangre will feature a large cast of leading figures such as prima ballerinas Viengsay Valdés, Sadaise Arencibia and Grettel Morejón; as well as Dani Hernández, first dancer, Chavela Riera, Ariel Morilla and two guest artists from the Spanish Ballet of Cuba: Eduardo Arango and Daniel Martínez. In all four performances, the role of the mother will be played by Maestro Clotilde Peón.
According to a press release, this work has always been one of the great successes of the National Ballet of Cuba, since it was incorporated into its repertoire on 29 April 1978.
The eponymous tragedy by Federico García Lorca, to whom this production is also dedicated on the occasion of his 125th birthday, has a special significance, as the names of Alicia Alonso and Antonio Gades are closely linked: the great Spanish dancer created his choreography for the National Ballet of Cuba in 1978, as a gift to the Prima Ballerina Assoluta and the company, on the occasion of its 30th anniversary.
Bodas de sangre has choreography and lighting by Antonio Gades, libretto by Alfredo Mañas, based on the tragedy of the same name by Federico García Lorca, music by Emilio de Diego, Genaro Monreal, Felipe Campuzano and Popular Flamenca, set design by Francisco Nieva and costumes by Julio Castaño.
It was first performed in Cuba on 22 May 1975 at the Alicia Alonso Grand Theatre in Havana, when the Antonio Gades Company made its debut in Cuba with the same protagonists as in its world premiere: Cristina Hoyos as La Novia and Antonio Gades as Leonardo.
One of the most important Cuban choreographies of all time is Carmen. The capricious Carmen, who will once again enchant us with her charms and make our hearts ache, will be performed by prima ballerinas Grettel Morejón (12), Anette Delgado (13), Sadaise Arencibia (14) and Viengsay Valdés (15), accompanied by Ányelo Montero and Dani Hernández, who will alternate as Don José.
The first dancer, Dani Hernández, will take on the role of the bullfighter Escamillo, a role in which Yasiel Hodelín and Jorge Guerra will make their debuts. Ernesto Díaz, Luis Fernández and Jorge Guerra play Zúñiga, and Chavela Riera, Estefanía Hernández and Alianed Moreno play Destino.
The opera was first performed in Cuba on 1 August 1967 at the Alicia Alonso Grand Theatre in Havana, with Alicia Alonso in the title role, Azari Plisetsky (Don José) and Roberto Rodríguez (Escamillo), Ceferino Barrios (Zúñiga), Josefina Méndez (El Destino) and Sylvia Marichal, Sylvia Marina, Mercedes Vergara and the then student of the Ofelia González National Ballet School (Cuatro muchachas).
Carmen is a choreography and libretto by Alberto Alonso, based on the novel of the same name by Prosper Mérimée and the libretto by Henry Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy for the opera by Georges Bizet; the music is by the French composer, reorchestrated by Rodion Schedrin; the set is based on the original by Boris Messerer; costumes by Salvador Fernández.
Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez
Photos: https://www.facebook.com/balletnacionaldecubaoficial
