Ballet Nacional de España: La Bella Otero

EVENT DESCRIPTION

An enthralling dance drama on a grand operatic scale, La Bella Otero tells the story of the alluring Spanish artist Carolina Otero of the late 19th century. Once one of the most famous women in the world, her fascinating story has largely been lost to time. Director Rubén Olmo has re-imagined Otero’s extraordinary life in an electrifying production which draws intriguing parallels with Bizet’s Carmen.

Born into poverty in rural Spain, Otero survived a traumatic childhood assault and moved to France as a young girl. She became a dancer at the Folies Bergère, re-inventing herself as “La Belle Otero” (“the Beautiful Otero”). Her breathtaking beauty and provocative dancing made her a sensation and she was notorious for her legion of illustrious, often royal, lovers. Before her death in obscurity, she said: “Women have one mission in life: to be beautiful. When one gets old, one must learn how to break mirrors. I am very gently expecting to die.”

The company’s ensemble of outstanding artists combines a cornucopia of dazzling dancing. Set to a richly varied score, the thrilling choreography ranges from Spanish folk dances and the Moulin Rouge cancan to powerful flamenco. Sumptuous sets and an array of 200 gorgeous costumes transport the audience from a humble village in Spain to the splendours of Belle Epoque Paris. Being performed outside Spain for the first time, this spellbinding production promises to mesmerise festivalgoers during an evening of exhilarating dancing and deeply moving drama.