Carmen Suite Review (Sante Fe College)

[The Traveling Ballerina]

Here's a review and a bit of the story behind how the performances (featuring Sarah Lane & Cory Stearns) this past weekend at Sante Fe College in Gainesville, FL came about. Enjoy!

[cubanmiamiboy]

22 hours ago, The Traveling Ballerina said:

Here's a review and a bit of the story behind how the performances (featuring Sarah Lane & Cory Stearns) this past weekend at Sante Fe College in Gainesville, FL came about. Enjoy!

Thanks for the link, dear! Carmen Suite is a wonderful jewel of a short ballet, where Tudorian "perfume" needs to be achieved in  order for it to work. The ballet has an interesting history, not devoided of drama.  Back when it was created in the 60's, Alberto Alonso had his wife Sonia Calero in mind as muse and potential dancer. Calero was part of the company as a character dancer, and back in the 50's she had been also quite a star in the cabaret circuit of Havana, where Alonso was a prolific choreographer. Eventually the ballet ended up being premiered, as we know, at the Bolshoi, with Plisetskaya as its star. She excelled on the role. At seeing this, Alicia Alonso immediately demanded for Alonso to rework the piece in Havana for her, which he did. This resulted in what I consider to be the ultimate incarnation of the work. Both divas' interpretations were great, but completely different. Videos exist of both versions for comparison.  The Russian lineage of the work is out there, and can be seen on YouTube in the likes of Vishneva and Zakharova. Lane got to learn the sultrier Cuban version for Alicia, with the touches that Alberto Alonso's widow Sonia might know where on his mind when she Inspired him to create the work.

Alicia didn't allow anybody to dance the ballet for decades while she did it. It wasn't until 2000 that the ballet could be seen again in someone other than Alicia. I saw it. Alicia was 80 at the time. 

I have a hard time picturing Lane as the powerful Carmen. When I think of her it is her voice from her Black Swan interview the first thing that comes to mind. 

Edited November 12, 2019 by cubanmiamiboy