Angel Corella's Barcelona Ballet

[CarolinaM]

The Barcelona Ballet will be touring in the USA next month. Here it is an interview by Lola Ramírez published in English at Ballet y mas http://www.balletymas.com/balletymas/ballet/noticia.jsp?id=570&accion=noticia Enjoy!

[bart]

Thanks, CarolinaM, for this story and for the link to the balletymas.com interview with Corella. It's good to hear from you. I appreciate the frankness of the interviewer, who raises matters having to do with insecure government financing, the current economic difficulties in Spain, and the possibility of negative reactions from dance companies already based in Barcelona.

My apologies for taking so long to respond. We will be changing the name of the company in our Table of Contents.

As the interview mentions, Barcelona Ballet is performing at the New York City Center in just a few weeks. Margaret Fuller, writing in the April/May Dance Magazine, comments:

The company's new name, which was announced in February, is a reflection of its recent relocation to Barcelona after four years in Segovia, Spain. "That was my initial idea for the company," Corella says. "I didn't want people to come and see it for my name, abut to come for the dancing and the dancers."

Here is the information about the April 17-20 engagement at City Center:

http://www.nycitycen...anceNumber=6429

Here is a brief video interview with Corella, relating to the NY visit.

[CarolinaM]

Thanks a lot bart!

This is a company that I really love for a large amount of reasons. For Angel Corella himself being so brave and generous, for the nice and high quality company he has been able to create in such a difficult times, for those wonderful dancers that have not dared to risk to join the troupe and that are bringing their art and giving their best to the audience every time they are on stage, for the choreographies we, Spanish public have been able to know, for the amazing Swan Lake, their first big production, they have staged and that got the Liceu to be full every evening, no matter who the dancers were….

So, thank you very much for your comment on this post and for having taken care of the name change!!!

Now, please, let me link some info about programs and where they will be performing during their USA tour next April (their new web page seems to still be under construction).

Barcelona Ballet, the Spanish dance company formerly known as Corella Ballet, is returning to New York City Center for a second engagement following several successful U.S. tours. Artistic director, Angel Corella–much beloved in Spain and in dance circles all over the globe–will dance with his company. The program will feature Clark Tippet’s Bruch Violin Concerto, Christopher Wheeldon’s For 4, and the world premiere of Pálpito, a full-company ballet by Nuevo Ballet Español Artistic Directors Ángel Rojas and Carlos Rodríguez. Watch out for this innovative fusion of classical ballet and Flamenco (seems like Flamenco is everywhere right now). Limited showing: April 17 -20.

http://ny.remezcla.c...rk-city-center/

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Purchase April 21st : Mixed Repertoire (same as City Center)

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Detroit Opera House - 27 to 29 April

Swan Lake

Music Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

- Performed by Corella Ballet

- North American premiere

- Certain performances feature Angel Corella

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And May 5, in Houston – Jones Hall: also with the Mixed Program.

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If you can, dear ballet-talkers, please do not miss and please report!

[miliosr]

I hope Corella isn't dependent on the Spanish government for a large portion of his funding. (Most of the article is hidden behind a firewall but you'll get the idea from the first three paragraphs.):

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303816504577313380512186086.html

[CarolinaM]

Well, Angel has always said that the company funds come from three principal pillars: sponsors, ticket sales and some public aid.

In this times of crisis, cuts are for sure affecting culture but governors (Catalan ones in this case) have to carefully see where it is worth to invest and Barcelona Ballet (of Angel Corella) is worth as any other Catalan company is. I truly hope they are clever enough to realize it and that they will not take into account the pressure made by some locals that think they can see their subsidies decrease, which will not be the case.

In its four years of existence this will be the second time the Barcelona Ballet is programmed at City Center. If the name of Barcelona is touring for the best theaters in the world this is a must for the city and this is only possible because Angel's and his international projection.

If they do not get the funds they need, Barcelona and the whole Catalonia will see their prestige truly damaged. If they are lucky enough this company takes the name of the city it is their turn to correspond as it deserves. It's a must for the Culture and it's also a must because of the economical return the city will get.

[CarolinaM]

BARCELONA BALLET

PRINCIPALS

Carmen Corella | Momoko Hirata| Ángel Corella | Aaron Robison | Dayron Vera

FIRST SOLOIST

Kazuko Omori | Fernando Bufalá | Alejandro Virelles

SOLOISTS

Ana Calderón | Cristina Casa | Yuka Iseda | Mª José Sales |Kirill Radev

Corps de Ballet

Ana Maria Arias | Helena Balla | Laura Busquets | Leire Cabrera | Yoko Callegari | Annélise Caro | Alba Cazorla | Claudia Faubel | Rachel Gil | Gwénaëlle Poline | Madeline Hollander | Tracy Jones | Carla López |Marta Ludevid | Almudena Maldonado | Isabelle Ménard | Laura Pérez | Julia Roca | Raquel Santamarta | Ana Cabral | Yvonne Slingerland

Ion Aguirretxe | Jaume Costa | Jonatan Diaz | Russell Ducker | Francisco Estevez | Oriol Figuerola | Michael Marinelli | Laurie McSherry-Gray | Miguel Adrian Rodriguez | Pedro Santos Philippe Solano | Carlos Taravillo | James Waddell

REPERTOIRE for the City Center Performances

Tuesday, April 17th from 7:30pm to 9:30pm

Wednesday, April 18th from 7:30pm to 9:30pm

Thursday, April 19th from 8:00pm to 10:00pm

Friday, April 20th from 8:00pm to 10:00pm

BRUCH VIOLIN CONCERTO Nº1

Choreography: Clark Tippet

Music: Max Bruch (Violin Concerto nº 1 Opus 26)

Costumes: Dain Marcus

Lighting: Jennifer Tipton

Choreography Preparation: David Richardson

Duration: 24’

Created for American Ballet Theatre, this neo-classic work combines sensitive drama, complex choreography and duets of spectacular athleticism, Created for seven Principal Dancers and a Corps of sixteen, the Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1, had its world premiere at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa, California on December 1, 1987.

It was the second ballet Clark Tippet created for ABT, coming after Enough Said in January, 1987.

For 4.

Choreography by: © Christopher Wheeldon

Music: Franz Schubert Death and the Maiden

Costume Design: Jean-Marc Puissant

Duration: 20’

Christopher Wheeldon originally created the piece For 4 as part of the Kings of Dance repertoire that featured Angel Corella as one of the dancers.

Pálpito - World Premiere

Music composer & producer: Héctor González

Percussion: Pablo M. Jones

Cante: Montse Cortés & Diana Navarro

Guitar, Laud, Bouzouki: Amir John Haddad

Orquestra: (Eduardo Sanz, horn in F; Roqui Albero, trumpet; Santiago Cañada, trombone; José Luís Martín, tuba;

“Càmara Cuercus”: Thomas Potiron, violin I; Laura Salcedo, violin II; Humberto Armas, viola; Juan Pérez de Albéniz, cello; Miguel Rodrigáñez, Double Bass)

Additional recordings: Carlos Rodríguez & Corella Ballet, voice & dance effects; Miguel A. Rojas, palillos & abanico; "La Tacha", palmas). Recording & mix engineer: Andrés Vázquez Archdale (Arco del Valle Studios, Madrid)

Additional recording engineers: Hugo Westerdahl (Axis Studio, Madrid), Pablo M. Jones, Héctor González.

Lighting: Luis Perdiguero.

Costume design: Vicente Soler

Duration: 40’

“Pálpito” meaning hunch in Spanish is a classical ballet with a strong reminiscence of traditional Spanish dance, created by the choreographers Rojas and Rodríguez for the Barcelona Ballet. This new creation denotes the maturity of a generation of Spanish creators, and dancers.

This piece combines the style of diverse Spanish dances a choreographic language requested specifically by Angel Corella.

Choreographers Rojas and Rodríguez brought together an artistic team that is capable of giving the Spanish essence to this piece. They have also meticulously chosen the steps from different styles of Spanish dance to showcase the versatility and technical quality of the dancers of Barcelona Ballet.

This story of this new ballet is about the main character who is trying to free himself from the strings that have him bound to his former role of a dancer and that keep him from advancing into the mature role in his spirit with tranquility and peace, allowing his heart to beat with a new force and inspiration preparing him to discover new horizons.

The music is a new commission composed by Héctor Gonzalez who has created a score consisting of 6 movements including the participation of well known musicians and singers from both classical and flamenco backgrounds. The music takes the audience on a journey through the different rhythms and music from different regions of Spain illustrating the strength and richness of Iberian music.

Fashion designer Vicente Soler has specially created the costumes for use in dance incorporating elements like tights, tutus point shoes ect., while at the same time giving it a true Andalusia-Flamenco flare by adding characteristic frills, fringe and traditional fans, again reflecting the styles of various regions throughout Spain.

Boasting the virtues of Angel Corella while bringing him closer to his cultural roots, choreographers Rojas and Rodriguez hope to contribute to the repertoire of Barcelona Ballet by adding a new line and image to the original attraction of the Spanish force and passion.