Compañía Maria Serrano

presents:

CARMEN Pasión Flamenca

The  Carmen-Myth in a modern flamenco-interpretation based on the classic theme

"Maria Serrano dances Carmen, a Carmen neither Georges Bizet nor any other man could have pictured any better", wrote the renowned Süddeutsche Zeitung when Maria Serrano personified Carmen in the production "Mi Carmen Flamenca" and was extolled in Europe and Japan some years ago. Meanwhile, Maria Serrano founded her own compañia and decided to produce her own personal interpretation of the Carmen Myth: CARMEN Pasión Flamenca. Maria Serrano's 17-member Compañía interprets the classical subject in the spirit of the modern flamenco of Seville. The classic myth was moved from  the factory of tobaccos into Sevillian nightlife. Don José appears as a priest, lost in between his desires for Carmen and his moralistic chains. Escamillo dies because of his strong deduction to drugs. Based on Prosper Mérimées'  tragic novel and George Bizet's famous opera, the Compañía Maria Serrano puts the famous Carmen-myth into nowadays Andalusia and back to the roots. The great and timeless themes and melodies of the classic piece are adapted and turned into fiery flamenco.

The story of  that  uncompromising Carmen happens in contemporary Andalusia. The flamenca is proud, strong, genuine, living the daily struggle of survival. She knows neither past nor future, nor does she accept social norms or rules.  Carmen is always living just in presence, for the here and now. She loves without compromises, but it lasts  just for the length of the deepest intensity. Her playing with the other sex is part of her art of survival. Her supposed ego trip is actually the never lost way to own identity, but it leads her also into the tragedy.

Don José presents himself as a man of the church. Torn back and forth between his duties as a priest and the sensual elementary being Carmen he loses himself in the labyrinth of his emotions and desires. Deeply fallen in love with Carmen Don José gets banished from the church. In a quarrel he kills his adversary in order to defend his love. Carmen provokes him, encourages him, leads him to his deepest feelings. He wants her but she can not be possessed. His ambivalence and the inner conflicts drive him for the tragic action: the murder on the loved one.

It isn't only since Carlos Saura's and Antonio Gades' cult film that flamenco has been regarded as the ideal medium for giving artistic expression to the Carmen myth. Its origin in the traditions of the gypsies of Andalusia as well as its role as the Spanish national dance with its allusions to life and death, passion and the battle of the sexes bring it much closer to the heart of the matter than Bizet's romantic opera. It is in the dance of the Habaneras and Seguirillas, in the fiery beauty and sensual intensity of mind, body and soul of the dancer that the unity of Carmen as a woman and the emancipatory claim of the Carmen character finds its most immediate and most impressive manifestation.

Maria Serrano:                                                                                

Maria del Mar Serrano Rebollo, „Maria Serrano“, was born in Seville (Spain). From her earliest childhood on she was taught flamenco by Seville's best and most famous flamenco teachers. José Galván, Los Gitanillos de Bronce, Juan Manuel, Farruco, to name just a few, very soon recognised her sensitivity and power. Very soon she travelled half the world with famous ensembles such as Meme Menjibar, Javier Barón, Carmen y Carmelilla Montoya, Antonio "El Pipa". In 1993 André Heller chose her for his production "Magneten" and in that show she enchanted the audience in Germany, Austria and Switzerland for six months. The Austrian "NEWS" even named her the "Voodoo Queen" of flamenco. In the years 1995 until 1998 Maria Serrano was touring with different companies all over Europe. For the Bienal de Arte Flamenco 2000 in Sevilla she founded for the first time her own company: the Compañia Maria Serrano and presented in a premiere “RITMO Flamenco-Cubano”. Choreographer was an good old friend: Manolo Marin, one of the most renowned in his field. In 2001 the company produced “Entre Flamencos” and in November 2002 Maria Serrano presented for the first time her own interpretacion of the Carmen myth. Tours throughout Taiwan, Germany, Denmarc, Mexico and Switzerland followed.

Press reviews on Maria Serrano:

”A single movement of Maria Serrano´s hand says more about the feelings of this freedom-thirsty Carmen than – with all due respect – any French opera text” – Hamburger Abendblatt. *** “Simply by her sensual presence and brilliantly controlled dance vocabulary , she conceives and creates the Carmen figure.” – Hamburger Morgenpost *** "Maria Serrano is an all-present dancer who knows the secrets of flamenco." – El Pais. *** She overwhelmed the audience at the completely sold-out Beethoven hall with the power and vitality of her dancing." – Stuttgarter Nachrichten. *** "The queen of flamenco." – Die Welt. "A volcanic phenomenon." – Berliner Morgenpost. *** "The demon of the dance." – Stuttgarter Nachrichten. "Maria Serrano – the voodoo queen of flamenco." – News, Vienna. "Maria Serrano herself is an exceptional figure." – Wiesbadener Tagblatt.***"A furioso of movements" – Dresdener Neueste Nachrichten. "Maria Serranocelebrates flamenco at its best," - Petra. "Maria Serrano made ice melt." – Neue Ruhrzeitung "Maria Serrano dances with an elementary passion and power, her exploding crescendi are captivating and overwhelming." - Ludwigsburger Kreiszeitung***"Maria Serrano dances with utmost abandon and expression." – Berliner Kurier***"The Serrano really has got oomph". – Der Kurier, Vienna