Members of the BritishSpanish Society were lucky enough to grab seats at Sadler’s Wells sold out Carmen created by Cuban ballet star Carlos Acosta.

Member Nick recounted that the show had a lot to live up to, having watched his daughter years ago play the lead role in her high school version of Bizet’s opera.

We were collectively delighted with the show. The staging was simple, not distracting from the skill of the Acosta Danza company who filled the stage with silent jumps, captivating swirls and lively energy. Clever lighting identified the dance space for much of the show and the shapes and colours set the tone for the drama which we knew would unfold between Carmen and her thwarted lover.

Acosta’s own participation in terms of dance was minimal but his presence as the mysterious bull/master puppeteer was heavily felt throughout. Carmen delighted the audience as she spent almost the entire performance on stage, flirting, dancing and drawing all eyes on her, but the scene to which the audience most responded to was the cleverly choreographed tavern scene.

Bravo Acosta and company, we loved it! Nick couldn’t be drawn on whether it beat his daughter’s school performance, but he and the rest of the BritishSpanish members and friends certainly had a memorable evening!