2:00 pm | $12/$10 members/$6 children 12 under | Drama, Music | 1 hr 45 min
With his classical Indian dance (kathak) training and contemporary dance background, internationally renowned choreographer Akram Khan, in his first full-length ballet, has rethought a timeless classical ballet for today’s audiences aided by composer Vincenzo Lamagna and Academy Award winning designer Tim Yip (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). Loosely based on the familiar 1841 scenario, this Giselle is set in our current era, in a world of migrant workers who have been cast out of their jobs by powerful owners. English National Ballet’s Tamara Roja stars in the title role, with guest artist Jeffrey Cirio, of American Ballet Theatre, in the role of Hilarion. The English National Ballet Philharmonic performs the acclaimed original score—which appropriates from the Adam score.
Says Tamara Rojo CBE, Artistic Director, English National Ballet: “We are very proud of Akram Khan’s Giselle, a beautiful and original re-imagining of the one of the most traditional pieces of the classical repertoire. At English National Ballet we aim to push the boundaries of ballet, taking the art form to the widest possible audience, and so it seems entirely fitting that this stunning work should be the first production from English National Ballet to be released in cinemas. The company is incredibly excited that our fans across the country and around the world will have the opportunity to see this iconic work on the big screen.”
The film was commissioned by The Space, the digital agency which supports UK arts organizations to grow their audiences across digital, cinema and broadcast platforms.