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RWB PREMIERES PASSION
(October 4, 2007 – Winnipeg, Manitoba) – Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet opens its 2007/08 season with the world premiere of Mauricio Wainrot’s Carmen, The Passion from October 17 – 21 at the Manitoba Centennial Concert Hall. Performances start at 7:30pm Wednesday to Saturday with a Sunday matinee beginning at 2:00pm.
Celebrated Argentinean/Canadian choreographer Mauricio Wainrot takes on opera’s female powerhouse in his first original creation for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. This ballet promises all the character and personality of a passionate drama that explores the tempestuous side of the uninhibited gypsy temptress and her lovers. Principal Dancer Tara Birtwhistle takes on the sultry, seductive lead role of Carmen, able to destroy men at a glance. Principal Dancers Jaime Vargas and Gael Lambiotte, who joins the RWB this season, play the lovers who entrap Carmen into a passionate love triangle. Vargas is love-smitten Don José while Lambiotte plays bullfighter Escamillo who turns Carmen’s affection toward him and away from Don José. Adding to the cast of talented leads are Principal Dancer Vanessa Lawson as Destiny who seals Carmen’s fate as she tells the gypsy’s fortune in a card reading, and corps member Amanda Green as Carmen’s alter ego, the contemplative side of the otherwise impetuous leading lady.
The Choreographer
Carmen, The Passion is Mauricio Wainrot’s newest masterwork. Wainrot and the RWB have an ongoing successful choreographic relationship which began in 2002 with the euphoric premiere of his Carmina Burana. He also brought the RWB The Messiah in 2005. Carmen, The Passion is the first commissioned work created uniquely for the RWB by the popular choreographer. Wainrot’s work has been presented by more than 40 companies across the globe and he is currently the Artistic Director of Ballet Contemporáneo del Teatro San Martin in Argentina.
Wainrot’s take on the well-known story is quite contemporary. “I think it makes the story a bit more interesting because there’s something brand new from every point of view – not just the choreography, but the music, the sets, the costumes, the lighting, the images we’re going to project,” Wainrot says. “It is very important that the work have a contemporary look.”
The Music
Prolific Canadian composer Elizabeth Raum has written several works including three operas, over 50 chamber pieces, vocal works, choral works, several ballets, concerti and major orchestral works. Raum’s work has won many prestigious awards and has been heard throughout North America, Europe and around the world. She enjoys a reputation of being one of Canada's most "accessible" composers, writing for varied mediums and in remarkably diverse styles.
As Carmen, The Passion is a contemporary version of the popular story, Wainrot decided to deviate from the Bizet score and went with music that would add to the contemporary feel of the ballet. Raum’s music is highly influenced by traditional Andalusian music. She has even gone as far as including Andalusian handclapping within the score, as it is an important part of Spanish folk music. Wainrot has incorporated the handclapping into the choreography, with some of the dancers contributing to the handclapping on stage when they are not dancing. Though the score moves away from the music of the well-known opera Raum admits, “I put one little measure of Bizet in there, kind of a tribute.”
The Design
Carlos Gallardo has designed the costumes, sets and properties for the production. Gallardo started intensively collaborating with choreographer Mauricio Wainrot in 1984, creating stage and costume designs for over 40 ballets staged for 43 dance companies around the world. Of these ballets, Gallardo has created designs for both Carmina Burana and The Messiah, recently performed by the RWB.
Gallardo brings an artists’ interpretation into his costuming design: the women’s costumes being a floral pattern using an eclectic mix of fabric, while the men’s costumes encompass a black and white gypsy style.
Events
An Open Rehearsal for Carmen, The Passion will be on Friday, October 12 at 7:10PM in the Founders’ Studio at the RWB Building. Reservations can be made by calling the RWB Customer Service Office at 956-2792. Admission is free and seating is limited.
Winnipeg audiences are invited to a variety of activities before and after the RWB’s performances of Carmen, The Passion. Pre-Show Chats, hosted by media and other celebrities, begin approximately forty minutes before all performances.
A backstage tour will unveil the behind the scenes magic following the Friday, October 19 evening performance. Following the Sunday, October 21 matinee, audience members may “Meet the Dancers” on the Piano Nobile, where RWB dancers will answer questions and sign autographs.
Tickets for all performances are available through the RWB Customer Service Office by call 956-2792 or from Ticketmaster by calling 253-ARTS (2787) or online at www.ticketmaster.ca. Group offers are available, call the RWB Box Office for more information. Subscriptions are also still available for the 2007/08 season at 956-2792.
The Royal Winnipeg Ballet is proud to acknowledge Production Benefactor and Presenting Sponsor James Richardson & Sons, Limited for their generous support of Carmen, The Passion. Performance Sponsor for the production is The Winnipeg Foundation. The RWB also wishes to acknowledge the support of its funders: Canada Council for the Arts, the Manitoba Arts Council, the Winnipeg Arts Council and Arts Stabilization.
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For more information or interviews, contact: Heather Saxton, RWB Publicity Manager at hsaxton@rwb.org or (204) 957-3447.
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