Kyiv Modern Ballet “Carmen.TV”

"Kyiv Modern-Ballet" Academic Theater

Ballet in two acts

“Carmen.TV”

to the music of Georges Bizet

Directed and choreographed by Radu Poklitaru

Running time: 1 hour 15 minutes (50 min + 25 min) Ballet with an intermission

“Carmen.TV” is an original choreographic interpretation of one of the most famous stories in European culture, created by Radu Poklitaru based on Prosper Mérimée’s novella and set to the music of Georges Bizet’s opera “Carmen.”

One of the ballet’s key characters is Micaela. In this version, she breaks free from her traditional role as José’s fiancée to become the true driving force behind the action on stage. It is her presence that explains the “TV” in the ballet’s title and defines its unique format: a ballet in two parts.

Here, the screen becomes a space of solitude, passion, imagination, and inner visions. Through Micaela, Carmen’s story unfolds like an impetuous torrent of desire, jealousy, love, and destructive fantasies. Her inner monologue sets the tone for the entire performance:

“When I’m alone, love overwhelms me and makes me see, desire, and kill imaginary characters from movies that never existed. The flickering screen speaks to me in the language of passion. Am I alone…? No! ”

In “Carmen.TV,” Radu Poklitaru creates a daring, intense, and visually breathtaking choreographic version of this legendary tale, in which the classic plot is reimagined through the prism of modern humanity, its loneliness, its passion, and its need to see love even when it becomes dangerous.

The “Kyiv Modern-Ballet” Academic Theater is one of Ukraine’s most remarkable contemporary dance theaters. For over twenty years, it has been creating original choreographic productions that have earned recognition in Europe and around the world.

The theater was conceived as an auteur theater, whose repertoire and artistic direction revolve around the works of choreographer Radu Poklitaru. Thanks to this vision, “Kyiv Modern Ballet” possesses an instantly recognizable artistic identity and stands out for its bold approach to great classical narratives, its innovative staging, and its expressive choreographic language.

By reinterpreting classic works of literature, music, and theater, the company offers a contemporary, intellectual, and deeply expressive choreographic interpretation.

Radu Poklitaru, the theater’s founder and artistic director, is an Honored Artist of Ukraine, a recipient of Ukraine’s Taras Shevchenko National Prize, a People’s Artist of Moldova, and a winner of numerous international competitions. Throughout his career, he has created more than forty one-act ballets and full-length ballets, which have been performed on stages in many countries.

Radu Poklitaru’s artistic style is distinguished by great dramaturgical precision, a bold reinterpretation of famous narratives, and a unique ability to evoke freedom, memory, choice, and inner strength through intense and emotionally powerful choreography.

Note: This text was translated by machine translation software and not by a human translator. It may contain translation errors.