Swedish choreographer Johan Inger won the Benois de la Danse 2016 for his striking new choreography set to the beloved music of Georges Bizet, arranged by Rodion Shchedrin. Inger returned to the source novel by Prosper Mérimée for inspiration, framing the action through the eyes of a child observer and stripping the story to its universal themes of love, passion, and the consequences of violence. Kayoko Everhard shines as Carmen, supported with aplomb by Daan Vervoort as Don José and a superlatively polished supporting cast — including the dancers of the Spanish National Dance Company—in this alluring production from La Rochelle’s La Coursive. Curt Allen Wilmer’s dynamic set design and Tom Visser’s expert lighting highlight the drama of this treasured tale as you’ve never seen it before!