Ballet: The Corsair

Despite having written approximately 40 operas and several other stageworks, the ballets “Giselle” (1841) and “The Corsair” (1856) as well as the marvellous Christmas carol “O Holy Night” (1843) remain his best known works. This classic ballet narrates the story of the passionate pirate Conrad who falls in love with the beautiful Medora. When Conrad and his pirates abduct Medora from a slave market to their secret grotto, the adventure is just about to begin...

Choreographer José Carlos Martinez: “For me it was a ballet that I never danced myself and it was interesting to try to do something that would be respectful of the tradition, not a new version of a classical ballet. I wanted to give “The Corsair” something unique from me, and at the same time preserve the lush and beauty of all these famous moments, like the magic garden or the big pas de deux, the pas d’esclaves. So, I thought it was reasonable to make a purified version of the ballet, composed of a fairy tale quality similar to “Giselle” or “The Nutcracker” and simplify the dramaturgy of an otherwise complicated plot and bring to the foreground the main characters of Medora and Conrad. Therefore, what the audience will be able to see, is a story of love between the two main protagonists and the adventures of their well-known companions. I found the inspiration for the story in Lord Byron’s poem, as well as in the original score by Adolphe Adam, which I also changed where necessary. I put all these iconic parts in the centre of the ballet and round them I built my story”.