Colombian-Belgian dance maker Annabelle Lopez Ochoa draws from every facet of her heritage and training for the debut of her latest evening-length work, Carmen. Having danced for over a decade in European companies, created pieces for more than 70 dance companies, and found stunning success with nine narrative ballets, Ochoa is primed to reinterpret the classic opéra comique for a modern Miami dance audience. Rodin Shchedrin’s colorful score, based on Bizet’s opera Carmen, receives a fresh update thanks to the addition of newly commissioned music from Colombian-born composer Juan Pablo Acosta, bringing Latin flair to one of the most popular operas ever written.

A story bursting with love, seduction, jealousy, and tragedy, revolving around the power of its fiery namesake heroine, has been seen around the world in nearly every medium of the performing arts for a century and a half. Ochoa imbues the enduring piece with sensuality and spirit as only she can, delivering the heat of southern Spain to today’s South Florida audiences.