Sasha Waltz’ production even amazes to start with because of its asceticism. There is the black box of the stage without wings. In the middle there is a great heap of cinders – the dancers run and jump through it and over it, raising clouds of dust. The main conflict in Sasha Waltz’ Sacre is a group of people against an individual. There is also, of course, the theme of nature awakening – a nature that is evil and violent, aggressive and defenceless.

Kommersant

Credits

Carmen Suite

Music by Georges Bizet – Rodion Shchedrin
Choreography by Alberto Alonso
Production Choreographer: Viktor Barykin
Production Designer: Boris Messerer

Sacre

Music by Igor Stravinsky
Musical Director and Conductor: Valery Gergiev
Choreographer: Sasha Waltz
Costume Designer: Bernd Skodzig
Stage Designers: Pia Maier Schriever, Sasha Waltz
Lighting Designer: Thilo Reuther
Assistant Choreographers: Juan Kruz Diaz de Garaio Esnaola, Luc Dunberry, Antonio Ruz and Yael Schnell

Co-production by Sasha Waltz & Guests GmbH and the Mariinsky Theatre

Artists

Carmen Suite

Conductor: Alexei Repnikov
Carmen: Viktoria Tereshkina
José: Timur Askerov
Torero: Yevgeny Ivanchenko

Sacre

Conductor: Alexei Repnikov
Yekaterina Kondaurova
Daria Pavlenko
Alexander Sergeyev
Yuri Smekalov

Carmen Suite

World premiere: 20 April 1967, Bolsoi Theatre, Moscow
Premiere at the Mariinsky Theatre: 19 April 2010

Carmen is a passionate, free-spirited woman in contrast to the temperamental and fickle Don José. Fate, a ballerina dressed in black and a representation of Carmen’s alter ego, shows Carmen the cards. After a fight with tobacco dealers, Carmen seduces Don José and convinces him to release her from jail. Carmen is subsequently caught in a love triangle between Don José and the popular bullfighter Escamillo.