Executive & Artistic Director
Thor Steingraber
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Ballet Hispánico New York
CARMEN.maquia
Sat Mar 28 | 8PM
Run time: approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes including a 20-minute intermission ________ Program | Program Note
CARMEN.maquia Synopsis | About the Program
Amanda Bacallao | Amir J. Baldwin | Mia Bermudez | Thierry Blannchard | Maya Canestaro | Antonio Cangiano | Francesca Levita | Matthew Mancuso | Dylan Dias McIntyre | Andrea Mish | Kevin Ortiz Lemus | Amanda Ostuni | Olivia Winston
Ballet Hispánico New York Staff
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Program
CARMEN.maquia World Premiere, 2012, Luna Negra Dance Theater; Ballet Hispánico New York Premiere, 2014 Choreography | Gustavo Ramírez Sansano Music | Various works by Georges Bizet, performed by the Slovak Philharmonic, Praha Philharmonic, and the Arte Ensemble. Carmen Fantasy by Pablo de Sarasate, performed by the Apollo Symphony Orchestra Set Design & Construction | Luis Crespo Costume Design | David Delfin Lighting Design | Emilio Lavarías
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Performers
Carmen | Amanda Ostuni Don José | Amir J. Baldwin Escamillo | Dylan Dias McIntyre Micaëla | Francesca Levita Company | Amanda Bacallao, Mia Bermudez, Thierry Blannchard, Maya Canestaro, Antonio Cangiano, Matthew Mancuso, Andrea Mish, Kevin Ortiz Lemus, Olivia Winston
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CARMEN.maquia Synopsis
Prelude
A solitary figure emerges in silence. It’s Don José. Imprisoned in both body and soul, he relives the aftermath of a fatal passion. As he paces the dim cell of his conscience, Carmen appears — not in flesh, but in memory, in ache. The past is inescapable.
Act I
The Factory Floor Outside the cigarette factory, the Cigarreras spill into the light, their chatter mixing with the haze of tobacco and fatigue. Guards linger, dozing and joking. Don José arrives, a figure of rigid order, shattering their ease. A soldier among dancers. The Habanera A changing of the guard — and the air shifts. Carmen, irresistible and indifferent, catches sight of Don José. She dances. What begins as flirtation becomes doctrine: her creed of freedom, love without chains. The onlookers are caught in her gravity. So is he. The Letter Micaëla arrives — prim, dutiful, and bearing a letter from Don José’s mother. The contents call him home, to honor, to marriage, to a quieter fate. He reads, torn between the woman he was promised and the woman he cannot forget. The Fracture Tensions boil over within the factory walls. A violent altercation erupts, Carmen at its center. Though the fault is unclear, she is blamed. Don José, following protocol, arrests her. But on the road to jail, seduction triumphs over duty. She escapes. He is punished. The Cell Now incarcerated, Don José slips into visions. Carmen multiplies around him, dancing through his fevered imagination. The Streets Carmen and her friends stroll through town, trailed by desire. Soldiers vie for her attention. She creates a tornado of arguments, gossip and debauchery. But her mind drifts to Don José and the handkerchief she stole from him. She fingers his handkerchief and admits — perhaps, against instinct — that she may have loved him. The Arrival Escamillo, the celebrated toreador, makes a triumphant entrance. The crowd swells with admiration — Carmen included. Their flirtation is theatrical but layered with curiosity. He leaves; confident she will follow. She stays, uncertain if she already belongs to someone else. The Return Don José is freed. Carmen runs to him. For a moment, all is bliss. But when military orders intrude, Don José hesitates. Carmen is incensed. She demands devotion without question. He abandons duty for her.
Act II
The Mountains Micaëla ventures into the mountains in search of Don José. She finds him amidst a band of gypsies, Carmen among them. Escamillo returns and resumes his courtship. Carmen yields, if only for a moment. Don José watches. Something breaks. The Cards The Cigarerras sit in a loose circle, giggling as they pull cards and tell one another’s fortunes. Then Carmen arrives. She says nothing — only lets out a sharp, serpentine hiss. The sound cuts through the air. In an instant, the group scatters. Alone now, Carmen claims the deck. She draws death. Separation. Finality. She shudders but shrugs it off. Her freedom remains a louder voice than fear. The Duel Escamillo and Don José cross paths. Tensions rise. Words are thrown like knives. Blows follow. Carmen is the ghost that haunts them both. No victor emerges, only wounded pride. The Revelation Micaëla finds Don José again. She pleads for a return to the life they planned. But Don José is haunted — by Carmen, his choices, and his undoing. Micaëla reveals the final blow: Carmen has chosen Escamillo. The truth ignites something fatal. The Wedding Escamillo calls everyone to gather and celebrate his triumphant wedding to Carmen. Joy hums through the crowd. Then, Don José appears. The celebration stills and the atmosphere tightens. Don Jose confronts Carmen. “You are mine,” he says. Carmen stands her ground. “I’ve moved on.” What follows is not a quarrel, but a reckoning. He lunges. She resists. And then, it happens. Carmen falls fatally struck. What he could not possess, he has destroyed. Love has turned to violence, and desire to ruin.
Securing The Soraya’s Future
Support the Thor Steingraber Fund for Artistic Innovation to help us continue to bring new works, world premieres, and bold collaborations to life
In the fall of 2015, my family and I attended a performance at the Valley Performing Arts Center at CSUN. My son, David, had received his undergraduate degree from CSUN many years prior, and we were pleased to see how the campus had grown. The recollections that stand out most in my memory from that evening were the extraordinary venue, its artistic excellence, and my first time meeting Thor Steingraber. For those reasons, my family decided in 2017 to invest in The Soraya’s future and long-term sustainability. In the 10 years since, we have come to know Thor and his vision. Through his leadership, we have witnessed values we so admire come to life on this stage — in the artists, their work, and the experiences they create for Los Angeles’ many communities and for CSUN students. Thor’s dedication and imagination serve so many, and it is my wish that his legacy be preserved. In honor and recognition of Thor’s accomplishments, I am pleased to announce a new fund supporting the art and artists who will continue this work: the Thor Steingraber Fund for Artistic Innovation. From the performance that first introduced my family to this majestic venue a decade ago, to the many moments of beauty and inspiration that have graced its stage since, we have Thor to thank. I hope you will join me and my family in supporting this effort — to ensure that these performances, and the spirit they embody, thrive long into the future.
— Soraya Sarah Nazarian
Program Note
Carmen is a well-known story — the love triangle between a toreador, a gypsy, and a soldier. The music from Bizet’s opera comprises some of the world’s most enduring earworms including the flirtatious “Seguidilla,” sung by Carmen, and the rousing choral number known as “The Toreador song.” Twice during my life as an opera director, I worked on Carmen, and both times the extraordinary mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves performed the title role. In my memory, I can still replay parts of her performance in vivid detail. The portrayal of this antiheroine is one of many reasons we visit and revisit Carmen. No wonder that Ballet Hispánico New York would adopt the story into a ballet. Any artist would swoon at the opportunity to engage with these passionate characters, and mine new depths of interpretation. For Ballet Hispánico, the story’s setting in Spain must have added further interest. Ballet Hispánico’s undertaking is an adaptation, using some of the music from the opera as well as other compositions by Bizet. It’s not a note-for-note or scene-for-scene transposition, nor should it be. To learn more about this unique rendering of Carmen, be sure to read this outstanding article by author and journalist Debra Levine.
Gratefully,
Thor Steingraber
Executive and Artistic Director, Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts
About the Program
A bullfighter without a bull, a love story without compromise — CARMEN.maquia brings the fire and elegance of Bizet’s most celebrated opera into a stark, sculptural world of dance. Directed by Ballet Hispánico New York’s Eduardo Vilaro and choreographed by Valencian visionary Gustavo Ramírez Sansano, this reimagined tale strips Carmen of her clichés, presenting her instead as a force of nature: untamed, defiant, and deeply human. Ramírez Sansano’s CARMEN.maquia unfolds on a minimalist stage, a blank canvas inspired by Picasso’s love of both Carmen and the bullring. Against this backdrop, the dancers’ bold forms and fluid movements carve stories into space, merging ballet, paso doble, and flamenco with contemporary shapes. Costumes, designed by Spain’s David Delfin, reject traditional red and polka dots in favor of understated whites that evoke flamenco’s raw beginnings. The narrative is timeless, yet the perspective feels fresh, daring, and intimate. Carmen, as envisioned here, becomes an allegory for rebellion and autonomy, her movements a declaration of individuality and passion. Ramírez Sansano’s choreography draws not only from Bizet’s opera but also from lesser-known works and modern reinterpretations of the music, creating a soundtrack that matches the complexity and nuance of the character herself. Premiering during Ballet Hispánico’s 55th Emerald Anniversary Season in 2025, CARMEN.maquia invites audiences to see Carmen not as a relic of operatic history, but as an ever-relevant symbol of strength and defiance. This is more than a performance — it’s a conversation between past and present, a visceral tribute to a story that has shaped and been shaped by culture for 150 years. Through movement and abstraction, CARMEN.maquia draws us into its orbit — a meditation on identity, power, and the enduring allure of a woman who refuses to be defined.
Ballet Hispánico New York
Ballet Hispánico New York is the nation’s leading Hispanic/Latine dance company and the largest cultural institution of its kind in the United States. For over five decades, it has been a beacon of artistic excellence, celebrated for its bold repertory and exceptional training programs. The Company has commissioned over 100 original works, performed on the world’s most prestigious stages, and inspired generations through performances, education, and community engagement. Recognized as one of America’s Cultural Treasures by the Ford Foundation, Ballet Hispánico New York continues to redefine what it means to be an American dance company. At the helm is Artistic Director and CEO Eduardo Vilaro, a former Ballet Hispánico dancer and acclaimed choreographer who assumed leadership in 2009. Under his dynamic guidance, the Company has entered a new era — broadening its artistic scope, deepening its repertory, and elevating its distinctive movement language. Vilaro carries forward the founding vision of Tina Ramirez, who launched Ballet Hispánico in 1970 to celebrate the beauty of Latino cultures through dance. The Company has garnered widespread acclaim, with The New York Times noting, “Many companies pay lip service to nurturing talent, but Ballet Hispánico has devoted significant resources and care to cultivating emerging artists.” Today, Ballet Hispánico New York stands not only as a cultural institution, but as a movement — pushing the boundaries of performance while honoring the traditions that shaped its legacy.
Eduardo Vilaro
Named Ballet Hispánico New York’s artistic director in 2009, Eduardo Vilaro became only the second person to head the company since its founding in 1970. In 2015, he was also named chief executive officer. Vilaro has infused Ballet Hispánico’s legacy with a bold brand of contemporary dance that reflects America’s changing cultural landscape. Vilaro’s dance philosophy stems from a basic belief in the power of the arts to change lives, reflect and impact culture, and strengthen community. He considers dance to be a liberating, nonverbal language through which students, dancers, and audiences of all walks of life can initiate ongoing conversations about the arts, expression, identity, and the meaning of community. Born in Cuba and raised in New York from the age of 6, Vilaro’s own choreography is devoted to capturing the Latin American experience in its totality and diversity, and through its intersectionality with other diasporas. His works are catalysts for new dialogues about what it means to be an American. Vilaro has created more than 50 ballets with commissions that include the Ravinia Festival, Chicago Sinfonietta, Grant Park Festival, Lexington Ballet, Chicago Symphony, Muse/ique, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. A Ballet Hispánico dancer and educator from 1988 to 1996, Vilaro earned a master’s degree in interdisciplinary arts at Columbia College Chicago and then embarked on his own act of advocacy with a 10-year record of achievement as founder and artistic director of Luna Negra Dance Theater in Chicago. The recipient of numerous awards and accolades, Vilaro received the Ruth Page Award for choreography in 2001, was inducted into the Bronx Walk of Fame in 2016, and was awarded HOMBRE Magazine’s 2017 Arts & Culture Pioneer of the Year. In 2019, he received the West Side Spirit’s WESTY Award, was honored by WNET for his contributions to the arts, and was the recipient of the James W. Dodge Foreign Language Advocate Award. In August 2020, City & State magazine included Vilaro in the inaugural Power of Diversity: Latin 100 list. In 2021, he was recognized with a Compassionate Leaders Award, given to leaders who are courageous, contemplative, collaborative, and care about the world they will leave behind. In 2024, Vilaro was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from his alma mater, Adelphi University, and was recognized by Crain’s New York Business as a Notable Latino Leader and Notable Leader In Philanthropy.
Amanda Bacallao
Originally from Miami (and of Cuban descent), Amanda Bacallao began dancing at the age of 4. In 2022, she graduated from Miami Arts Charter School, where she studied dance under the direction of Diana Ford. Earlier in her career, Bacallao also trained at Armour Dance Theatre with Rosario Suárez and Mariana Alvarez. Bacallao is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in contemporary dance at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. During her time at the Boston Conservatory, she has performed works by Ken Ossola, Dwight Rhoden, Gustavo Ramírez Sansano, Christina Chan, Lydia Zimmer, and Alissa Cardone. Bacallao is also a 2024 alumna of The School at Jacob’s Pillow. Additionally, she has completed certification to teach Progressing Ballet Technique. This is Bacallao’s first season with Ballet Hispánico New York.
Amir J. Baldwin
Amir J. Baldwin, originally from Trenton, New Jersey, received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance from Montclair State University, with a minor in American Sign Language. His dance training consists of an eclectic mix, which includes ballet, modern, Horton, jazz, contemporary, musical theater, and capoeira. Baldwin has trained with Ballet Hispánico, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet, among others. This is his fourth season with Ballet Hispánico.
Mia Bermudez
Originally from Montclair, New Jersey, Mia Bermudez began her dance training at Ballet Hispánico School’s La Academia Pre-Professional Program on a full merit scholarship. While at Ballet Hispánico, she has performed at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Ballet Hispánico Gala. Bermudez has trained at numerous intensive programs including the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, La Escuela Nacional de Ballet de Cuba, Canada’s National Ballet School, and Ballet Hispánico’s ChoreoLaB. This is her second season with Ballet Hispánico.
Thierry Blannchard
Thierry Blannchard, originally from Sao Paulo, began his dance training at the Elizandra Bellotto School. He studied contemporary and character dance, dance history, and pas de deux at the Bolshoi Theater School after being awarded a scholarship. During his time at the Bolshoi Theater School, Blannchard had the opportunity to work with the likes of Vladimir Vasiliev, Galina Kravchenko, Denys Nevidomyy, Pedro Carneiro, and Rostislav Dzabraev. In 2022, Blannchard was awarded a trainee program with Eglevsky Ballet in New York. He has worked with choreographers such as Amy Hall Garner, Cassi Abranches (Grupo Corpo), Kevin Jenkins, Maurice Brandon Curry, Gabrielle Lamb, and Valentina Kozlova, among others. This is Blannchard’s first season with Ballet Hispánico.
Maya Canestaro
Born in San Antonio, Maya Canestaro began dancing at the age of 4 with Filipino folk dance before continuing her training in ballet. She studied at the Ballet Conservatory of South Texas and was accepted at 16 into the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. After graduating from UNCSA, Canestaro attended The University of Chicago, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in public policy with minors in human rights and philosophy. While in school, she also danced with Ballet Chicago’s studio company. Following graduation, Canestaro joined Kansas City Ballet’s second company for two seasons before dancing as an apprentice with Madison Ballet. Highlights include appearing at the Kennedy Center, performing Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s Nube Blanco (White Cloud) and Mark Morris’ Sandpaper, dancing in The Nutcracker, and dancing in the corps of Giselle and George Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco. Last season, Canestaro danced in Ballet Hispánico’s Pa’lante program. This is her first season with Ballet Hispánico as an apprentice.
Antonio Cangiano
Antonio Cangiano trained on scholarship at the Ateneo Danza, Accademia Normanna, and the Martha Graham School in New York City. He has danced for the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, Dardo Galletto Studios, ACSI Ballet, and for the 90th Anniversary Season of the Martha Graham Dance Company. Cangiano has danced works by world-renowned choreographers such as William Forsythe, Nacho Duato, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, and Gustavo Ramírez Sansano. This is Cangiano’s seventh season with Ballet Hispánico.
Francesca Levita
Originally from Chicago, Francesca Levita began her training with Visceral Dance Center. She has attended numerous ballet intensives including BalletMet, American Ballet Theatre, and the Milwaukee Ballet. Levita also trained at The School at Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Summer Intensive, BODYTRAFFIC, and Arts Umbrella. In 2024, she graduated with honors summa cum laude from Marymount Manhattan College, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a double concentration in ballet and modern dance. This is Levita’s second season with Ballet Hispánico.
Matthew Mancuso
Matthew Mancuso, originally from East Haven, Connecticut, began his dance training at the age of 8 at Gloria Jean’s Studio of Dance under the direction of Stacy Eastman. He also studied at New Haven Ballet under various teachers and choreographers. Mancuso went on to New York University Tisch School of the Arts where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance, with a minor in entertainment business. While at school, he learned and performed repertoire from Sidra Bell and Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company. Mancuso also studied abroad in Prague at the National Theatre. After graduation, he joined contemporary dance company Gaspard & Dancers, and traveled to Romania, Armenia, and Tbilisi, Georgia. This is Mancuso’s first season with Ballet Hispánico.
Dylan Dias McIntyre
Born in Key West and raised in West Palm Beach, Florida, Dylan Dias McIntyre started dancing at Palm Beach Ballet Center at the age of 8. At 16, he became a trainee with Next Generation Ballet; after two years, Dias McIntyre joined the Richmond Ballet to complete his training and start his professional career with their second company. In 2019, he joined Ballet Memphis as a company dancer for three seasons and participated in the 2022 season with the Terpsicorps Theatre of Dance. This is Dias McIntyre’s fourth season with Ballet Hispánico.
Andrea Mish
Andrea Mish, born and raised in South Florida, began her training at Southern Dance Theater and later studied at Ballet East in West Palm Beach. She furthered her training at Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts and attended numerous summer intensives, including San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet, and Houston Ballet, among others. In 2023, Mish graduated with honors cum laude and high distinction with a Bachelor of Science in dance arts administration and psychology from Butler University. She was the 2022 and 2023 recipient of the Outstanding Performance Award with Butler Ballet and was on the dean’s list at Butler University. Following graduation, Mish accepted a position with Ballet Des Moines. She is currently in her second season with Ballet Hispánico.
Kevin Ortiz Lemus
Originally from Guatemala, Kevin Ortiz Lemus has performed with companies such as Brooklyn Ballet, Ballet Eloelle-Grandiva, Exit12 Dance Company, and Peridance Contemporary Dance Company. Before moving to New York, he was a principal dancer with the Modern and Folkloric Ballet of Guatemala, representing his country in international festivals in Spain and France, and performing in numerous national productions. This is Ortiz Lemus’ first season with Ballet Hispánico.
Amanda Ostuni
Amanda Ostuni, originally from Patterson, New York, began dancing at the Seven Star School of Performing Arts. She trained in ballet, contemporary, jazz, tap, and hip-hop for more than 14 years. In 2023, Ostuni graduated from Butler University, where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance performance. At Butler University, she worked with Jennifer Archibald and Deborah Wingert, as well as Susan McGuire, training in the Cunningham and Graham techniques. This is Ostuni’s third season with Ballet Hispánico.
Olivia Winston
Olivia Winston, originally from Salt Lake City, received her early classical ballet training at the Ballet West Academy Professional Training Division. She attended intensives at BalletX, American Ballet Theatre, Houston Ballet, and Ballet West/ArtÉmotion. In 2023, Winston graduated from the Alonzo King LINES Ballet training program, where she performed works by Alonzo King, Mike Tyus, and Kayla Farrish. Winston also performed works by Matthew Neenan, Jennifer Archibald, and Amy Hall Garner as a Dance Fellow with BalletX for the 2023–2024 season. This is Winston’s second season with Ballet Hispánico.
Ballet Hispánico New York Staff
Artistic Director & CEO | Eduardo Vilaro Founder | Tina Ramirez Rehearsal Director | Anitra Keegan Rehearsal Director | Nicole Duffy Chief Managing Director | Patrick Muhlen Company Manager | Karl Rader Watson Production Director | Aholibama Castañeda González Wardrobe Director | Andrea Mejuto Lighting Supervisor | Dominick Riches Stage Manager | Chloe Marie Lupini Transformational funding for Ballet Hispánico New York is generously provided by MacKenzie Scott, the Ford Foundation, The Mellon Foundation, and the Jerome L. Greene Foundation. Major support is provided by the Howard Gilman Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, Warner Music Group & Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund, a sponsored project of Moore Impact, the Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, the Tatiana Piankova Foundation, and the Mosaic Network and Fund in The New York Community Trust. Public support is provided by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council under the leadership of Speaker Adrienne Adams, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Ballet Hispánico is grateful to artistic sponsor Andrew Martin Weber for generously supporting the restaging of CARMEN.maquia. MetLife Foundation is the official tour sponsor of Ballet Hispánico.
The Soraya
The Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts (The Soraya/Producer) is an award-winning, state-of-the-art 1,700-seat theater that opened in 2011 as the Valley Performing Arts Center. Through a transformative gift by Younes and Soraya Nazarian, the venue was renamed The Soraya in 2017. The Soraya is located on the campus of California State University, Northridge, the intellectual and cultural heart of the San Fernando Valley.
Executive and Artistic Director Thor Steingraber, in his 12th year leading the organization, sums up what makes The Soraya a central piece of Los Angeles arts and culture. “At The Soraya, we hold a high standard of excellence for every performance from a vast array of artistic disciplines, and we hold steadfast to our commitment to the value and impact of the performing arts in community-building, for the Valley’s 1.8 million residents and beyond.”
The Soraya’s 2025–26 Season is a journey through the expansive sounds of orchestras, the freestyle vibes of jazz, the innovations of dance luminaries, and a vast array of global voices. The Soraya continues its vigorous commitment to excelling, innovating, and amplifying access for Valley residents, students, and arts lovers across Southern California.