Carmen, Bird of Prey

Carmen, Bird of Prey is a variation of Bizet´s opera Carmen. It is a collaboration between The Finnish National Opera, the Blue Flamenco School of Dance and DuvTeatern. The project has brought together people with and without disabilities, people with different languages and diverse backgrounds, and also created a framework for three distinct art-traditions to merge: opera, theatre and dance.

The process leading up to Carmen, Bird of Prey, has been long and eventful. It has produced many wonderful and unforgettable meetings thanks to a team that has had the courage to respect diversity and the patience to let the differences develop side by side.

Bizet´s Carmen is an impressive opera-classic, which has allowed each of the performers to discover within it themes of personal significance. The framework of the opera has provided the team with the freedom to create and explore. The result, Carmen, Bird of Prey, expresses something the National Opera, DuvTeatern and Blue Flamenco all share: a passion for big emotions and for performing on stage.

Carmen, Bird of Prey, premiered at The Almi Hall of the Finnish National Opera on the 22nd of January 2011, and was followed by four sold-out performances.

Creative workshops were organized alongside the production for young people (13-18yo), pedagogues and professionals of the cultural field. The main themes of the workshops were connected to the question of freedom; what is freedom? Who is free? Who has the right to show and live out their dreams? The participants took part of a workshop and saw the performance as well as the Duva/Diva exhibition.

A documentary of the process leading up to the performance will premiere on January 24th 2012 directed by film director Anna Blom, produced by Långfilm productions for the Finnish Broadcasting Company/ FST5.

Presspictures available here.

Photos: Stefan Bremer

 

 

Johan Blomberg, Inka Timgren, Emma Liekari, Emma Palomäki, Siiri Tiilikka in Carmen, Bird of Prey 2011.
Photo: Stefan Bremer


Irina von Martens in Carmen, Bird of Prey 2011. Photo: Stefan Bremer.

Emma Liekari and Jyrki Anttila. Carmen, Bird of Prey 2011.
Photo: Stefan Bremer


Elias Simons in Carmen, Bird of Prey 2011. Photo: Stefan Bremer.