The moment you enter the theatre and hear the musicians tuning their intruments, you know that this is the beginning of a wonderful theatre experience. World class Ballet dancers, accompanied by live music by the SABT Sinfonia transports you into another world, the world of the streetwise Carmen, a gypsey, and her relationship with the young, disciplined soldier Don José.

The story begins outside a cigarette factory in Seville, Spain.

Talented, very young and well trained dancers from the SABT outreach programmes grabbs the attention of the audience in the opening scene. In contrast to their playfulness, the soldiers march in and at midday the the cigarette girls come out of the factory...

Everyone of the four acts and every scene has it own emotions and charm.

Patrons will be seeing the local talent of SABT’s resident stars, with a supporting cast including students from SABT’s Outreach programmes, guest artists from Cape Town City Ballet as well as international guest artists Adam Thurlow and Dirk Weyershausen.
Music accompaniment is by the SABT Sinfonia under the baton of Tim Roberts.
Choreography is by Veronica Paeper

‘Carmen-the Ballet’ which runs at the Joburg Theatre for a season of eighteen performances, is a Ballet performance not to be missed.

After 2 hours of escapism and magic, every member of the audience leaves the theatre feeling inspired, light and uplifted.

DanceDirectory congratulates the choreographer, Veroncia Paeper, the Managing Director, Fiona Budd, the Artistic Director, Iain Macdonald, all the SABT dancers, the SABT sinfonia, all the SABT staff members and everybody involved infront and behind the scenes. We hope that in the very near future dance and the arts will receive the same national support, as that shown to Bafana Bafana. To enable South African ballet and dance companies to exist, the support of all dance lovers is needed and we hope that ballet and dance teachers will encourage their students to attend performances presented by the South African Ballet Theatre and other dance companies.

For dates, and the cast, click on the link below.