Kulturkompasset | critics of culture events

Carmen, ballet by Didy Veldman in Vilnius


Carmen year?

By Henning Høholt, Photos Martynas Aleksa

Applause foto, Carmen, Vilnius. Foto Tomas Bagackas.

Applause foto, Carmen, Vilnius. Foto Tomas Bagackas.

VILNIUS/LITHUANIA: I know it is Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius year in 2015, because of the celebration of their 150 years birthdays. When we look at the repertoire around it could also look like being a Georges Bizet year? Well, perhaps it is Bizet year every year? We are again reviewing a Carmen opera, this time in Vilnius. Choreography by Didy Veldman.

The reason for this request is that during the last week we have 3 different Carmen productions at our program with 4 performances. This evening it is Carmen as ballet in Vilnius, choreographed by Didy Veldman from The Netherlands in a libretto by Christopher Gable, a libretto which, to me, only looked like shortening and simplifying the original history, and making so Escamillkio, the Toreador is a big rock star, and moving the history to aplace somewhere without the Spanish feeling. And by that the choreographer and hers librettist has done the fundamental mistake for this production. Which does that the music is playing one history, and what the audience see with their eyes is another history, nearly with out any links.

Love pas de deux between Carmen and Don José, foto Martynas Aleksa. Illustration photo.

Love pas de deux between Carmen and Don José, foto Martynas Aleksa. Illustration photo.

Honestly, i was not satisfied with this version. Beautiful dancers, that we know from very many wonderful productions in Vilnius, are in this parodic version not having the possibilityes to show how well they really can. and would prefere to show their art of beautiful dance.

The leading four roles, splendid performing Carmen – the beautiful Greta Gylyte. Her Don José – Martynas Rimeikis, together with Escamillo, splendid danced by Eligijus Butkus, and the beautiful Inga Cibulskyté as Micaëla. Who, together with the rest of the cast, did their very best out of the roles, their steps and their movements, they had got. I expect this is a performance which will not last long at the repertoire. I want back the old Carmen with the beautiful Carmen music arranged by Rodion Schedrin for strings and percussion, that is an extraordinary production that the balletcompany can be proud of. This Carmen is a waist of money. Something that also could be heard in the bad applause during all the performance, but even someone started standing applause, which this production dont deserve. Still the dancers did their best.

Carmen, Vilnius, illustration photo: Martynas Aleksa

Carmen, Vilnius, illustration photo: Martynas Aleksa

However there were some nice details. All the deliciouse solos by Inga Cibulskyté. The expressive solos with fantastic flying jumps by Eligijus Butkus. The beautiful bed scene, which started strange as a cat after mouse running, but ended up quite sweet in the bed between Carmen – Greta Gylyte. and Don José – Martynas Rimeikis.  Also the opening of second act with the 5 mafia/smugglers was good.  I didn´t understand why these rich mafia bosses needed to take the cloths and empty the pockets for the two custom guys, in the one way they are looking so rich and then in the next scene so poor.

The using of large screens with football, and also letting us getting some of the most famouse music played for rock gitar on a screen, to show that Escamilio is a famouse rock star, – with only 8 screaming fans, that the two secutiry guys looked to be having trouble with keeping away from escamilio. It was parodic

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Escamillo and Carmen, in Vilnius, foto Martynas Aleksa

Escamillo and Carmen, in Vilnius, foto Martynas Aleksa

The scenography was strange, the changing of the military guard in the opening,  2 times 2 persons, didn´t give any atmosphaere, and some of the aerobic like, but still some difficult details, didn´t impress at all.  The costumes in black, black, black and daily aerobic wear by Kimie Nakano, was nothing to write about.

The orchestra conducted by Modestas Barkauskas played very well the original Carmen music, with only a very few changes. But for me, the tempi, when it could, or perhaps should, have been romantic was too fast, it didn´t build up any atmosphaere around what could have been good parts, soli, pas de deux, if it has been going deeper in to the atmosphaere.

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The choreographer ~ Didy Veldman telles her self about this Carmen production: “I was thrilled when Krzysztof Pastor, the Artistic Director of the company, asked me to remount “Carmen”. “Carmen” was originally a production I created for Northern Ballet Theatre from the UK in ’99. I was also delighted that Krzysztof gave me the opportunity to re-work my choreography, change the set and costumes and work with a classical ballet company, which is something I rarely do. This has made for a lovely change and presented new challenges
. This process has led me to approach my choreography from a new perspective and been an incredible experience.

What I am interested in as a director and choreographer is trying to find a physical language to express the story of Carmen. The combination of the music and dramatic content gives opportunity for a large range of movements and emotions. I have found that Bizet has a lot of irony and almost comedy in his music and I wanted to bring this to the forefront. This creates an interesting contrast with the darker and softer musical sections and helps the dramatic development of the work. Movement wise I have concentrated on earthy and grounded choreography, there is a strong connection with the floor due to Carmen’s spirit being embedded within the natural elements.”

 

 

 

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