Carlos Acosta and Guest Artists - new details

Photo : Johan Persson

Regular readers will already be aware of this upcoming show. However, I promised you some news.

Did you groan at the prospect of seeing another Dying Swan in the programme ? Thought you'd seen it all before ?

Close, but no cigar.

Rather like Ida, the 47 million year old and recently discovered fossil, The Dying Swan too has a distinct timeline. This dance solo, almost entirely on pointe & set to a cello solo by Saint-Saëns based on one of Alfred Tennyson’s poems, was made for Anna Pavlova, (to Fokine’s choreography) in 1907.

Marguerite Porter was chosen by Dame Ninette de Valois (founder of The Royal Ballet), to be taught the original Fokine piece (without the inflections Pavlova had later instilled in the solo herself).

26 years later, Porter chose to teach Royal Ballet Principal Marianela Nunez.

And now, in 2009.. Carlos Acosta, who will dance Descombey’s contemporary interpretation.


Photo : Johan Persson

Ballet superstar Carlos Acosta returns to the London Coliseum with a revised version of his Olivier award-winning show from Wednesday 22 – Saturday 25 July 2009. Acosta has devised and produced a new repertoire that sees him reprise his unforgettable recent performance in the Pas de Deux from Spartacus with the Bolshoi's Nina Kaptsova.

Acosta has personally selected an international cast of dancers from some of the world’s most renowned ballet companies; Arionel Vargas and Begoña Cao from English National Ballet, Miguel Altunaga from Rambert, Veronica Corveas from Ballet Nacional de Cuba, Nina Kaptsova from the Bolshoi, Steven McRae and Roberta Marquez from The Royal Ballet, and Amilcar Moret and Florencia Chinellato from Hamburg Ballet all join him on stage for this production.

Highlights of Part 1 include the renowned Spartacus Pas de Deux performed by Acosta and Kaptsova; Neumeier’s Othello performed by Moret and Chinellato with Arvo Pärt’s score played live, and Ben Stevenson’s Three Preludes performed by Vargas and Cao, who have previously performed the piece with English National Ballet.

Highlights of Part 2 include Acosta’s performance of Descombey’s contemporary interpretation of Dying Swan, accompanied by Camille Saint-Saens’ music. There is also Memoria, a brand new piece of choreography by Acosta and Rambert dancer Miguel Altunaga, performed by Altunaga.

If you haven't already snapped up your ticket, perhaps you only see a show once a year - well, this could well be your time, as it most surely is Acosta's.

Carlos Acosta and Guest Artists
London Coliseum
Wednesday 22 - Saturday 25 July 2009
Performances: Wed - Sat at 7.30pm, Sat 25 at 2pm
Tickets: £15 - £75
Ticket office: 0844 412 4300 sadlerswells.com