A NEW ENB VERSION OF GISELLE

GISELLE

A NEW VERSION OF GISELLE FOR THE ENB BY AKRAM KHAN

Read English National Ballet Giselle Reviews

The creative process behind Akram Khan’s Giselle

4 October 2016

Looking back at reimagining Giselle with Tamara Rojo, Akram Khan, Ruth Little, Vincenzo Lamagna, Gavin Sutherland, Tim Yip and ENB dancers.

She-Said-ENB-Sadlers-Wells-536-507x357

She Said

English National Ballet, Sadler’s Wells – Reviews

“Dancer Tamara Rojo presents three powerful and engrossing ballets rolled into one stunning performance” by Melissa York – CITYA.M

“TAKE two of the world’s greatest dancers simmering in a heartbreaking tale of love and loss, then stir in a passionate female artist and her unfaithful and irresistible lover and what you’ve got is hot.” by Jeffery Taylor – The Express

” If She Said means anything, it is to prove that creating quality choreography does not require a penis” by Graham Watts – London Dance

“A marvellous image of creativity and power” by Zoë Anderson – Independent

“Tamara Rojo explores her inner Diaghilev in a fascinating bill of new work” by Jenny Gilbert – The Arts Desk

“When Tamara Rojo delivers, she delivers” by Vera Liber – British Theatre Guide

“She Said at Sadler’s Wells” by Debra Craine -The Times

“Three steps forward for women” by Luke Jennings – The Observer

AKGiselleNew score, adapted from Adolphe Adam original by composer Vincenzo Lamagna.

Set and costumes by Tim Yip.

Performed by English National Ballet Philharmonic. Music director; Gavin Sutherland.

Dramaturgy; Ruth Little. Lighting design; Mark Henderson.

“When I decided I wanted to bring Giselle, one of the most traditional pieces of the classical repertoire, into the 21st Century there was only one choreographer I believe had both the knowledge of tradition and creativity necessary for this task. I am incredibly excited that Akram accepted this challenge. I believe this will be a very important step for the whole art form and I hope it will make this beautiful classic relevant to new audiences.”
Tamara Rojo, Artistic Director, English National Ballet.

English National Ballet Giselle Reviews

The creative process behind Akram Khan’s Giselle

4 October 2016

Looking back at reimagining Giselle with Tamara Rojo, Akram Khan, Ruth Little, Vincenzo Lamagna, Gavin Sutherland, Tim Yip and ENB dancers.

Tamara Rojo on staging two versions of Giselle

English National Ballet at Palais Garnier

Lecorsairetelon1

Le Figaro Prereview: “La critique de la rédaction”

Le Figaro: Danse: bateau libre pour Le Corsaire

Par Ariane Bavelier.

Mis à jour le 24/06/2016 à 17h15 | Publié le 24/06/2016 à 15h45.

Première compagnie britannique invitée à l’Opéra Garnier depuis 1970, l’English National Ballet offre un spectacle bondissant et très théâtral.

Sur l’affiche, on voit un homme torse nu qui rame de dos. Solitude embarquée à bord d’une barque blanche sur une mer encalminée. La production du Corsaire qu’amène à Garnier l’English National Ballet est aux antipodes de cette image. Baroque, furieuse, déchaînée, prise dans un tourbillon de mouvements qui ne parvient pas totalement à chasser la poussière de la scénographie.

Au premier acte, dans la scène du Bazar, les toiles peintes jaunies dévorent la scène et asphyxient la danse. Au troisième, la silhouette d’un Palais des Mille et Une Nuits ne suffit pas à rendre envoûtant le jardin Animé, et les costumes donnent envie d’exporter notre Christian Lacroix national malgré le Brexit.

Ainsi l’a voulu la directrice de l’English National Ballet, Tamara Rojo. Elle a commandé au décorateur Bob Ringwood, en 2013, une «production entièrement d’époque, comme s’il s’agissait d’une mise en scène des années 1850». L’Orient de Byron dont s’inspire Le Corsaire est pourtant une contrée haute en couleur et en enchantements. Et aussi en rebondissements. Conrad libère sa bien aimée Médora que le Pacha a fait enlever pour son harem. Pirates, esclaves, trahison, naufrage…

Heureusement, l’English National Ballet a le charisme de la situation. Inutile de chercher le raffinement des corps de ballet qui respirent à l’unisson et dessinent avec délicatesse des volutes de tutu. Ça n’est pas le point fort de cette compagnie dont les danseurs ne partagent pas une école mais viennent de tous les pays du monde.

Combinaison à hauts risques

En revanche, la compagnie a la théâtralité dans le sang. Anna-Marie Holmes, qui remonte la chorégraphie de ce ballet inspiré d’un poème de Lord Byron, exploite ce filon, taillant dans le burlesque la pantomime du Pacha (Michael Coleman), soulignant les traits patibulaires chez le traître Birbanto (Yonah Acosta) et l’absence de scrupules chez le marchand d’esclaves Lankedem (Ken Saruhashi). Œil d’escarboucle et tempérament de braise, Tamara Rojo reste crédible dans le rôle de l’éplorée. La compagnie possède aussi une virtuosité un peu oubliée de ce côté-ci de la Manche.

De même que les solistes s’amusent à jouer leur rôle, ils prennent plaisir à oser des combinaisons pyrotechniques à hauts risques. Quel panache! Isaac Hernandez en Corsaire, Cesar Corrales en Ali et Tamara Rojo en Médora transforment le pas de trois du second acte en un moment d’anthologie qui laisse le public du Palais Garnier pantelant.

Rojo a des fouettés étincelants, des cambrés envoûtants, une attaque et une précision dans le travail des pieds qui tranche avec ses langueurs de grande odalisque. Hernandez possède une danse brillante et ample. Corrales bondit à décrocher le lustre. L’une est espagnole, le second mexicain, le dernier cubain grandi au Canada. Tous sont élancés et élégants: ils pourraient danser des rôles nobles. Or la distribution est différente chaque soir avec des perles comme Alina Cojocaru. Le moins qu’on puisse dire, c’est que Tamara Rojo sait mener une compagnie et choisir ses danseurs!

Le Corsaire par l’English National Ballet au Palais Garnier – De la dynamite ! – Compte-rendu

Rocambolesque

Lest We Forget at the Sadler’s Wells 20 – 29 Sep 2018

ENB Lest We Forget program

DUST

Thursday 20 September

Tamara Rojo, James Streeter, Fabian Reimair

Friday 21 September

Tamara Rojo, James Streeter, Fabian Reimair

Saturday 22 September

Tamara Rojo, James Streeter, Fabian Reimair

Monday 24 September (The Royal British Legion Thank You performance)

Tamara Rojo, James Streeter, Fabian Reimair

Tuesday 25 September

Tamara Rojo, James Streeter, Fabian Reimair

Thursday 27 September

Tamara Rojo, James Streeter, Fabian Reimair

Saturday 29 September (mat)

Tamara Rojo, James Streeter, Fabian Reimair

Lest We Forget

English National Ballet wins dance South Bank Sky Arts Awards 2015 for Lest We Forget program.

winners

Southbank Sky Arts Awards 2015 – Tamara Rojo winning speech

“This is a great honour and I’m deeply humbled by it. It is important to say that it is not an award for one individual, or even one team. It has been won by the whole company and I would like to pay tribute to and thank :~

CHOREOGRAPHERS: Akram Khan, Russell Maliphant, Liam Scarlett, George Williamson.

All our COLLABORATORS: Designers, particularly Bob Ringwood, Lighting designers, Composers and Costume makers.

The ORCHESTRA and MUSIC DIRECTOR, GAVIN SUTHERLAND, who is always up for everything and loves dance even more than me.

Our TECHNICAL TEAM, David Baxter, David Richardson and specially our technical director Al Riches, who always tells me all is ok even when I am seeing with my own eyes that it is falling apart, but somehow it is always alright in the end!

My DANCERS AND ARTISTIC TEAM, who embrace every challenge and deliver above all expectations.

TO ALL THE UNSUNG HEROES BEHIND THE SCENES, my Executive Director Caroline Thomson, producers, accountants, HR, development, marketing, costumes, hair and make-up outreach and education … You keep things going so we can all dream.

JUSTIN BICKLE, our Chairman, you are the embodiment of the definition of a philanthropist; A person that seeks the welfare of human kind. He who loves the arts. We could not be here without you and your amazing board.

And to the audience who follow us. We will be performing Lest We Forget from September, in London and around the country, so don’t miss it!

Thank you”.

ENGLISH NATIONAL BALLET “LEST WE FORGET” RAVE REVIEWS

English National Ballet’s five-star critically acclaimed production of Lest We Forget got rave reviews.

Lest We Forget rave reviews

Award-winning British choreographers Akram Khan (Dust), Russell Maliphant (Second Breath) and Liam Scarlett (No Man’s Land) have each created new work to reflect the moving and powerful impact of the First World War on those setting off to fight and those left behind. Khan’s work explores the empowerment of women in the war whilst Maliphant’s conveys the sacrifice of the men. Scarlett’s work explores the relationship between men and the women they leave behind – the loss and longing. The programme is completed by George Williamson ’s re-worked Firebird set to the commanding Stravinsky score performed by our live orchestra.

Amazing” Jeffery Taylor, Sunday Express.
“A brave and brilliant move from director Tamara RojoLyndsey Winship” Evening Standard.
“Make this absolutely an evening to catch if you can Hanna Weibye, The Arts Desk.
Lest We Forget is both moving and ambitious Zoë Anderson, The Independent.
“A turning point in ENB’s history” Judith Mackrel, The Guardian.
“Melancholic but thrillingly uplifting” Sarah Crompton, Telegraph.

Good Swan, Bad Swan: Dancing Swan Lake

Good Swan, Bad Swan: Dancing Swan Lake
Photographer: Arnaud Stephenson

“Good Swan, Bad Swan: Dancing Swan Lake”

Filmed by BBC


Artistic Director and Lead Principal dancer of English National Ballet, in character as the White Swan, Odette, in Swan Lake. Tamara Rojo.

Tribute to Rudolf Nureyev

Tribute to Rudolf Nureyev

Some reviews

Ismene Brown on Friday, 26 July 2013.

«You almost instinctively describe Nureyev as ‘blinding’, but ‘illuminating’ is much more apt»
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Laura Thompson The Telegraph on 26 Jul 2013.

“The late Rudolf Nureyev would have been moved by the perfection of Vadim Muntagirov’s arabesque”.
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English National Ballet shows its strengths in a triple bill inspired by Rudolf Nureyev.

Hanna Weibye on 29 July 2013
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Swan Lake in the round 2013

“SWAN LAKE” in the round of the Royal Albert Hall

Swan Lake in the round

Zoë Anderson:“On opening night, Tamara Rojo’s Swan Queen had the charisma to fill the whole space”

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Lyndsey Winship, London Evenig Standard:“There’s pause-button control in her early white swan scenes as her demure Odette deliciously stretches out her phrases with elegant assuredness. Later you can feel the adrenaline rising in the room as she spins her way through the 32 fouettés, ending with a sweet smirk that seems to say: “Oh that? Easy.”

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Luke Jennings, The Observer, Sunday 16 June 2013:

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The Telegraph, Louise Levene“Critics spoiled rotten by a life of perfect sightlines in the front stalls found the encircling audience distracting and carped that the sheer size of the Albert Hall made it impossible for the artists to convey emotion. Anyone who has watched their idols from the back row of Covent Garden’s amphitheatre through a forest of craning heads will know that this is nonsense”.

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