Roland Petit’s Carmen at the London Coliseum and the ballet maestro’s greatest works

Fernanda Oliviera as Carmen Photograph Annabel Moeller

English National Ballet’s Summer season at the London Coliseum offers audiences a rare opportunity to see Roland Petit’s extraordinary work in London.

Carmen exploded into the decorous world of British ballet at its premiere in 1949, with ballet lovers shocked by the sexually voracious choreography and music lovers by the daring rearrangement of Bizet’s electrifying score. Created especially by Petit for Renée (Zizi) Jeanmaire, Carmen is a vivid and emotionally charged story of seduction, intrigue and betrayal which remains Petit’s most popular work.

Fernanda Oliviera as Carmen Photograph Annabel Moeller

Inspired by Daudet’s short story, L’Arlésienne is about Federi’s thwarted love for Vivette, the young girl from Arles, set to music composed by Bizet for the story. Roland Petit’s drama of primordial power unfolds against the frame of the corps de ballet and a landscape by Van Gogh.

Le Jeune Homme et la Mort, famously performed by Mikhail Baryshnikov in the opening sequence of the movie White Nights (1985), encapsulates the existentialist anguish of post-War Paris. This dance drama was invented by Jean Cocteau for Roland Petit, and sees a faithless woman tormenting her young lover in his cluttered Parisian garret, driving him to despair.

Dancing the title role in Carmen will be Fernanda Oliveira, Daria Klimentová, Anais Chalendard and Begoña Cao. Performing Jenue Homme et la Mort, will be Dmitri Gruzdyev, Esteban Berlanga and Laurent Liotardo; with Begoña Cao, Anais Chalendard and Jia Zhang. L’Arlésienne will feature Elena Glurdjidze, Erina Takahashi, Ksenia Ovsyanick with Vadim Muntagirov and Esteban Berlanga. Nightly casting to be announced.

Full listings

Roland Petit’s Carmen with L’Arlésienne and Le Jeune Homme et la Mort

London Coliseum, St Martin’s Lane

£10 – £67

21 July 7.30pm

22 July 2pm, 7.30pm

23 July 2.30pm, 7.30pm

24 July 2.30pm