English National Ballet’s ‘Swan Lake’ returns to Barcelona’s Liceu Opera House

Barcelona (CNA).- Tchaikovsky’s most iconic piece, ‘Swan Lake’, will open  Barcelona’s Liceu Opera House’s season. The piece, which is the first ballet score written by a symphonic composer, will be performed by the English National Ballet. “It is the closest version” to Marius Petipa’s original choreography, stated the English National Ballet’s Art director Tamara Rojo. Rojo will also be performing both white and black swan roles. Other iconic pieces such as 'Nabucco', 'Simon Boccanegra' and 'La bohème' will complete the 2015-2016 season’s programme, which aims to bring Liceu’s programme to a greater audience, especially people at social risk. In order to do so, the theatre has joined the ‘Apropa Cultura’ (‘Bring the culture closer’) initiative and will offer more than 2,600 tickets at a maximum price of 3 euros each.  

The English National Ballet’s version brings back the classic elements of the original piece. Created by choreographer Derek Dane, this rendition of ‘Swan Lake’ includes new hints that make the plot easier to understand while still respecting the tragic essence of the original piece. “Nowadays dancers are more like athletes” stated English National Ballet Art director Tamara Rojo, which means that “everybody can potentially play any of the roles” she pointed out. Rojo will perform both white and black swan roles in the 17^th and 19th of September shows, together with Isaac Hernandez. “Our performance is much more temperamental” assured Rojo and attributed this to the fact that both dancers are “Latin”. The first performance, on the 16^th, and that of the 18^th, will feature Alina Cojocaru and Dawid Trzensimiech. They are a very “lyric and sweet” couple, admitted Rojo.  

Theatre’s social nature

The general director of Barcelona’s Liceu Opera House, Roger Guasch, emphasised the theatre’s bid to make culture accessible to everyone. During the presentation of Liceu’s 2015-2016 season, Guasch assured that the theatre “will be social or will cease to exist” and referred to Liceu’s joining of the ‘Apropa Cultura’ initiative, which makes opera, dance and classical music accessible to more than 1,400 social organisations. “Culture itself, as an emissary only and not as a receptor, is useless”, said Guasch, adding that the cultural sector has to be tool to “make a better and more equal society”. 

Following on from this, Liceu Opera House’s communication manager, Joan Corbera, said that by joining ‘Apropa Cultura’ another “opera barrier has fallen”.

The ‘Apropa Cultura’ initiative

More than 56 cultural amenities have joined the initiative so far, including theatres, festivals and museums from all over Catalonia. ‘Apropa Cultura’ was designed by ‘L’Auditori’ theatre in Barcelona and is a pioneer initiative in Europe.

The sectors of society which benefit are composed by people with intellectual and physical disabilities, people at social risk, women who have fallen victim to domestic violence, people with drug addiction problems and children in tutelary circumstances. Last season, more than 21,000 people enjoyed more than 1,100 cultural activities through the ‘Apropa Cultura’ initiative.