Barcelona Flamenco Ballet reinterprets ‘Carmen’ in Istanbul

ISTANBUL

The Barcelona Flamenco Ballet will perform for the first time in Istanbul at the Cemal Reşit Rey (CRR) Concert Hall on June 7 and 8. The troupe, led by director David Gutierrez, will present the story of “Carmen” to the audience with an interpretation that blends flamenco, jazz and contemporary ballet.

Founded in 2017 with the support of the Catalonian government, the ballet troupe aims to bring the art of flamenco, born in Catalonia, to the world stage. The troupe, which has performed in more than 40 countries, draws attention with its energetic performances and productions centering around social issues.

The ballet addresses the ever-present myth of Carmen in their new project. This new recreation of Bizet’s work brings new elements from flamenco that were previously unknown.

It goes beyond the traditional conception in which it has historically been categorized and adapts it to the reality of today’s contemporary society. The adaptation of flamenco music and ballet with the distinctive feature that characterizes Gutierrez places the work in a new paradigm of the universal myth and flamenco of the 21st century.

Despite the time passed, Carmen maintains her message of freedom and courage in the face of an unequal world where women still fight for their rights. Carmen is the prototype of a woman who faces a hostile and violent male world that she does not survive but leaves her example for posterity.

The show mixes the most current flamenco singing with the original music. The symphony orchestra, the operatic singing and Bizet’s music mix their more traditional sonorities with innovative touches of jazz and flamenco singing. The choreographies fuse the universes of flamenco ballet with impressive footwork and fresh influences of modern and contemporary dance.

Barcelona Flamenco Ballet aims to give a quality show that can reach all types of audiences. It thus proposes collaboration with major symphony orchestras, choirs and soloists from all over the world.

Tickets for the show can be purchased from CRR box offices and Biletix.